Known commonly as Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing, Ornithoptera alexandrae is the largest butterfly on Earth. This spectacular insect is not just a marvel of size but a symbol of the fragile biodiversity found in the rainforests of Papua New Guinea. First discovered in 1906 by naturalist Albert Stewart Meek (who famously had to use a shotgun to bring down a specimen from the high canopy), it remains one of the most sought-after and endangered species in the world.