Flying Butter Thieves

By Emma Davidson

31. October 2024

Do you sometimes find yourself wondering how things come to get their names? Well when it comes to butterflies, there is more than one possible explanation for why they were named that way. The English term “Butterfly” has its origins in a few cultures and languages. Some say it lies in the colour; many common butterflies have yellow-ish or orange coloured wings. Others say it has to do with their excrements, which are supposed to have a buttery look. There was once even a dutch name for the insects; “botershijte”, which means “butter-sh!tter”.

My favorite explanation though is the explanation of the butter- or milk thief; originating from the North American colonies. Witches were said to turn into butterflies at night in order to steal butter. Germans used the word “Milchdieb” (milk-thief) for butterflies, as the insects were often seen feeding on butter or milk back in the middle ages. Biologists have since found out that butterflies often feed on spoiled foods or dead animals to gain some sort of minerals; so the butterflies never stole any butter- they were merely cleaning up after the farmers and removing leftover bits of spoiled butter or milk.

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Flying Butter Thieves

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Fachbereich Kultur- und Sozialwissenschaften