Species: Graphium milon halesis
Location: San Francisco, 766 Valencia St.

Classes can be given as gifts. See the “How to Give as a Gift” section below for instructions.

Sometimes a name can tell you a lot, and other times it raises more questions than it can answer. Like, who is Milon, why are his bottles blue, and why was a butterfly named after him? All great questions. Hailing from Indonesia, particularly Sulawesi and the surrounding islands, the Milon's Blue Bottle Butterfly is not only incredibly pretty but also a thought-provoking critter fluttering around tropical islands.

So why exactly is it called the Milon's Blue Bottle Butterfly? As one might expect from scientific naming conventions, the name Milon is not Latin. In Ancient Greek, “Μίλων” (Mílōn) was the real name of the famous Milon of Croton, a legendary 6th-century BCE athlete admired for his strength and grace. The “Bluebottle” part is a nickname used for several Graphium butterflies, like Graphium sarpedon and Graphium agamemnon, because of the bright blue or turquoise streaks on their wings.

That is all well and good, but what does a wrestler have to do with butterflies? Back in the 19th century, naturalists like the Felders, who named Graphium milon in 1865, loved borrowing names from Greek myths and history. The Felders combined the two to create something like “The Graphium named after Milon (Milo of Croton),” which gives the full meaning: “Milon’s Graphium,” a graceful and strong butterfly named in the classical style.

This is just scratching the surface of the mysteries that the Milon's Blue Bottle Butterfly holds. Do you know what “puddling” is? Is that really blue you are seeing on its wings? Can you beat it in a wrestling match? You'll just have to take the class to find out.

• Classes will be held at 766 Valencia St., San Francisco
• Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
• Cancellations must be made at least 72 hours before the class to receive store credit, redeemable for merchandise or future classes.