In the last few days, billions of caterpillars have finally emerged from their cocoons as stichophthalma louisa or jungle queen, the main species of butterflies at Butterfly Valley in Jinping county of Honghe Hani and Yi autonomous prefecture in Yunnan province. This massive surge in the butterfly population is quite a rare scene. Here, butterflies go through their whole life cycle.

According to statistics, Butterfly Valley in Honghe has more than 400 species of butterflies, the only gathering area of its kind in China. The valley also has several particularly rare species, such as China's rarest teinopalpus aureus, the most ancient libythea myrrha, the largest troides aeacus and the smallest zizula hylax.

Video provided by Yang Zhenwen