Those insects you see flying in crazed circles are trying to keep their backs towards the light because they think that direction is up, new research suggests.

When you see a dead butterfly, put it an envelope, stamp it and stick it in the mail. Scientists want to see if certain contaminants are present in butterflies, and may be why so many of the insects are in steep population decline.

Butterflies likely split from nocturnal moths around 100 million years ago in present-day western North America or Central America, a new study of the winged insects finds.