Passion for butterflies emerges from cocoons

A collective memory

Sun completed his undergraduate studies at Shandong University and pursued both his graduate and doctoral studies at Northwest A&F University in Shaanxi province. Currently living in Jinan, the capital of Shandong, he works as an engineer at the Shandong Provincial Research Institute of Water Conservancy.

While his doctoral research in agricultural engineering and ecological environment — with a focus on precipitation changes, land use, and soil respiration on the Loess Plateau — isn't directly butterfly-related, he sees a connection. "My professional training has always involved field investigation, ecology, and data analysis," Sun said. "This background has provided me with a deeper insight into the fascinating world of butterflies."

During his doctoral studies, he also collaborated on butterfly taxonomy and ecological research.

Over a decade ago, during the planning phase for Living Butterflies in China, Sun and his friends' initial goal was modest — collecting photos of 1,000 species of butterflies.

Most butterfly guidebooks at the time featured specimen photos — butterflies pinned flat, wings fully spread, ideal for comparative study, but far removed from their vibrant, dynamic presence in the wild. "A live butterfly won't stop and pose according to a guidebook's requirements," Sun said. "It might only show its underwing, be partially obscured by a leaf, or grant you just one chance to press the shutter of a camera."

So they envisioned a book composed entirely of ecological photographs, capturing China's butterflies as they live in their natural environments — including different sexes, seasonal forms, regional variations, and easily confused look-alikes. The aim was to create a resource where anyone, with their own photographs, could find the means to identify a species. Sun said he initially doubted if the 1,000-species goal was achievable, let alone that the project would span more than a decade.

China boasts over 2,500 recorded butterfly species that inhabit mountains, rainforests, deserts, grasslands, and islands. Some exist only in historical literature and specimen records — whether live individuals can still be found, or if their natural appearance has ever been captured, remains unknown.

The book features ecological photographs of over 2,100 species, far exceeding initial expectations, thanks to contributions from more than 200 photographers. "It was never a single person traveling across China; it was many people slowly bringing together individual butterflies they encountered at different times and places," Sun said.

A tea house owner in Miyi, Sichuan province, for instance, rarely photographed butterflies but stumbled upon a rare species restricted to a small local area. It appears for only a few weeks each year and favors high canopies, eluding many dedicated searchers.

Sun contacted the owner after seeing the photo online, identifying the butterfly. The owner was surprised to learn such a species lived nearby.

In earlier years, Sun would proactively contact anyone posting butterfly photographs online, inquiring about the time and location to meticulously record the information. Occasionally, photos revealed previously unrecorded species. He would then connect with taxonomy researchers, seeking specimens and further evidence, transforming a casually taken photo into a valuable piece of research. "I've always felt my role is more like building a bridge," Sun said. "Photos come to me from different places, and I send them on to another group of people. What's left isn't just a butterfly's name, but evidence of when and where it lived."