The Ark In Space

The 88 Butterfly: Counting on Survival

Saturday, 21 February 2026

When you look at the butterfly above, what do you immediately see? Yes, the clue was in the title of this article, but we definitely can make out the number 88 on its wing. Found in Middle and South America, these butterflies are, unsurprisingly called mariposa ochenta y ocho (eighty-eight butterfly) in Spanish. Image Credit

Image Credit

Perhaps more of a revelation is that, depending on where you are, you might not be looking at the same species. Just as we have not one “8” but two, so there are two distinct species with variations of the name the eighty-eight butterfly (there are 12 altogether, it would have been more fun had there been eight). Of course, they certainly share one big thing in common, but evolution shaped the wing pattern for survival, not for numeracy (and more about that later).

What are the most beautiful butterflies in the world?

Thursday, 19 February 2026

Now, there is a question and I would guess the answer is very much down to the tastes of the individual responder. Sometimes the plainest of butterflies can be a person’s favorite, and so considered the most beautiful in ways other than those which greet the eye. This fascinating video covers a number of butterflies, all of which are quite stunning.

We have featured a few on Arkinspace before – such as the amazing glasswing – and that species is on this particular list too. This list features the Top 20, including the Island Marble, linked closely to the San Juan island area in Washington State. Then there is the Peacock with its amazing eyespots. Then there is the ulyss, with its iridescent blue markings. My own is the Anna's eighty-eight, which does exactly what is says on the packet.

Of course, there are another 16 on this list, beautifully created by 4 Ever Green, besides those mentioned above. Will your favorite be on it? Watch the full video below and find out.

The Mystery of the Orangutan Flange

Saturday, 14 February 2026

Much is known about orangutan physiology and behavior. Yet there is one thing that is still unsolved – the exact reason why some male orangutans develop a flange while others do not. These large cheek pads certainly have their advantages as we shall see - it’s most certainly about dominance and mating with as many females as possible – so why do they only develop in some males and not others?

Image Credit Flickr User Russell Watkins

First things first – the flange is not a physical signal that a male has reached sexual maturity as was once thought – they already have quite a while back. Even though orangutans are among the slowest mammals to reach reproductive age, between 7 and 10 years of age for the male, they are capable of producing offspring at this age. However, it is rare for the male to mate before the age of 15. Females mature at about 5 years of age but like many great apes undergo a period of infertility in their adolescent years which preclude offspring for between 2 and 4 years and will not produce offspring until they too are well in to their teens.

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