Pictured here is my gallery wall of framed, preserved butterflies and moths. I currently have fifteen frames, with a total of eighteen specimens. Also here is my number one favorite frame, and the one that first got me started on my collection: the mountain blue swallowtail.
As I said above, my favorite of my entire colleciton is the mountain blue swallowtail, center on the gallery wall. Next to it is the classic monarch butterfly. Unfortunately, the glare from my window prevents you from seeing the monarch clearly. At the very center-bottom, you can see the alpine black swallowtail. This is its summer form, which doesn't appear too differently from its winter form in photos, but are more iridescent. These can be found in South Korea, and I thought they were really cool when I came across one while hiking to a Buddhist temple there.
I have two (kinda three) moths that are the most important to me. At the very top is what I call my showstopper. The comet moth is one of the largest in the world, with its huge yellow wings. On the very left, there is a frame with two specimens. These are luna moths, whose pale green wings make it quite popular. These can be found throughout the American south, including Kentucky, but because they are nocturnal your chances of spotting one are very slim. You're more likely to find one that has died recently than a living one.
If you are interested in starting a collection of your own, here are some places you can check out! While I primarily collect butteflies and moths, these organizations also sell beetles and other insects. For example, my sister wanted a scorpion for her birthday, so I ordered one for her.
The resource that I primarily use is MiniBeast. Based out of the UK, they source their specimens through sustainable practices like butterfly farms that employ indiginous peoples, helping to not only provide a necessary income for healthcare and education, but also counteract deforestation and excessing logging. However, as they are UK-based orders require international shipping, which can add $15 or more to an order, and it can take upwards of a month for orders to arrive. One thing to note: MiniBeast sells specimens in glass dome jars, which are very visually striking and I would love to get some, but they are only for sale within the UK. I imagine that's due to the difficulties of international shipping being more likely to break the jars.
Another resource is Bug Under Glass, based out of California. They also source many of their specimens from sustainable farms. This business is interesting because they also sell jewelry with butterfly wings incorporated inside. If you're looking for a unique gift for a significant other, this could be a neat place to check out!