It's old english for 'butterfly'
Buttorfleoge
the old english name is 'Buttorfleoge'
The name of the butterfly comes from the old English word buttorfleoge meaning butter and fly. Butterflies were thought to be like flies that stole butter.
The original name for a butterfly was "flutterby." Over time, this name evolved into the current term we use today.
The first butterfly ever scientifically described is Papilio machaon, The Swallowtail. It is also sometimes called "Old World Swallowtail" to distinguish it from the many hundreds of other swallowtail species described since then. The type specimen of it still exists. Regardless of any taxonomic changes that ever take place, that one original P. machaon specimen will ALWAYS be considered a butterfly.
"Butterfly" in English ;: Middle English buterflie, Old English buttorfleoge (written citation 1000 C.E.) : The Oxford English Dictionary notes some old Dutch words "botervlieg"and "boterschijte", and conjectures that butterflies' excrement may have been thought to resemble butter, hence giving the name "butter-*expletive*", then "butter-fly". : Webster's Third New International Dictionary says perhaps the word comes from the notion that butterflies, or witches in that form, stole milk and butter (see German "Schmetterling" below)." From: http://www.insects.org/ced4/etymology.html
O.E. buttorfleoge, perhaps based on the old notion that the insects consume butter or milk that is left uncovered. Or, less creatively, simply because the pale yellow color of many species' wings suggests the color of butter. Another theory connects it to the color of the insect's excrement.That's not the scientific name its only a common name, each specific species of butterfly has its own name, binomial nomenclature. Binomial nomenclature is the naming of a specific organism, the first word being the genus labeling the the exact species then getting into more detail based on size, coloring, flight distance, etc. The Anglo-Saxons used the word 'butterfloege' because their most common butterfly was the yellow brimstone butterfly. This English influence was brought to the new world.
O.E. buttorfleoge, perhaps based on the old notion that the insects consume butter or milk that is left uncovered. Or, less creatively, simply because the pale yellow color of many species' wings suggests the color of butter. Another theory connects it to the color of the insect's excrement.That's not the scientific name its only a common name, each specific species of butterfly has its own name, binomial nomenclature. Binomial nomenclature is the naming of a specific organism, the first word being the genus labeling the the exact species then getting into more detail based on size, coloring, flight distance, etc. The Anglo-Saxons used the word 'butterfloege' because their most common butterfly was the yellow brimstone butterfly. This English influence was brought to the new world.