There may well be over 20,000 different species of butterfly worldwide, which any good lepidopterists would know. Butterflies are actually matured caterpillar, the fuzzy worm like creatures that devour trees and leaves. After eating enough, the caterpillar folds itself into a butterfly. Many butterflies have remarkable colors and pattern, to scare predators and attract other butterflies. When folding the origami butterfly model, you are encouraged to use brightly patterned paper.
Did you know ? : Though some people believe the word 'butterfly' comes from swapping letters in the word 'flutterby', the truth of the matter is that the Dutch called them buttorfleoge. It seems the Dutch believed that butterflies stole milk.
 Begin the butterfly model with a rectangular piece of paper, twice as wide as it is high. Start with the colored side down.
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 Valley fold the paper in half, forming a square with the pattern exposed. Crease well and unfold.
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 Diagonally valley fold the top left and right corners to meet on the bottom edge, in the center. Crease well.
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 On the lower layer, mountain fold the two triangles in half. The creases will extend from tip of the triangle, to the bottom edge, halfway between the center and the valley crease. The top triangles will fold behind the model, creating a diamond behind a triangle.
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 Valley fold the top tip to the bottom tip, crease well and unfold. Valley fold the top tip to the center of the model, crease well.
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 Valley fold the model through the center crease you just made. The tip needs to slide into the pocket, locking the flap down.
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 Relax the fold on the bottom just slightly to get the tip into the pocket, and the work it all the way in.
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 Once the tip is in position, the butterfly will once again lay flat.
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 The lock in the butterfly model is created by mountain folding the sides of that pocket, to lock the top flap in place. This also defines the seperation between the top and bottom set of wings.
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 Open the wing slightly to reveal the lower layer.
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 Create the fold as far back as you can, and crease well.
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 The angle of the fold will create a small triangle of negative space between the wings. Lay the wing flat, and do it on the other side.
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 Mountain fold the butterfly in half through the center line.
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 Two valley folds, extending from the center crease just below the top edge, to the top edge just to the left and right of the center crease, will define the head of the butterfly, and seperate the bottom wings.
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 I enjoy the contrast between the sharp angular folds in this model, and the soft, gentleness of the butterfly.
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