The Queen Alexandra's Birdwing is the largest species of which kind of creature?

With a wingspan of almost one foot (30 cm), the Queen Alexandra's Birdwing is the largest butterfly in the world. It is native to the forests in eastern Papua New Guinea and was first discovered in 1906 by the English naturalist Albert Stewart Meek (1871-1943). It was named in honour of Queen Alexandra (1844-1910), the wife of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the British Dominions.

As well as its massive wingspan, the Queen Alexandra's Birdwing has striking colours. The males, which are slightly smaller than the females, are predominantly black but have blue and green markings with a yellow abdomen. The females are less colourful, being predominantly dark brown. During mating seasons, males swarm through the forest releasing pheromones over the females.

As of 2022, the butterflies have not been found anywhere else in the world. No one knows how many exist in the wild. Females have the potential to lay about 240 eggs during their lifetime, but damages to their habitat may prevent the eggs from hatching.