White Butterfly Symbolism & What It Could Mean for You

What do White Butterflies Symbolize?

The color white symbolizes purity while the butterfly symbolizes rebirth. White has been perceived as a symbol of innocence and purity since humans can remember. In antiquity, priestesses enrobed themselves in white to showcase their virginity and purity. In the Victorian era, brides began wearing white, too. Many religions around the world later adopted that idea, Christianity included. Today, the pope wears white as a symbol of his piety and goodwill, and children wear white to their christenings. The white butterfly echoes these same sentiments, bringing forth ideas of wholesomeness, hope, and good fortune. Beginning as caterpillars who tuck themselves tight into a cocoon, they shed their cells to morph into a chrysalis, and ultimately blossom into colorful, winged insects. Although all butterflies symbolize transformation, white butterflies offer an added significance in reference to lightness, heaven, and the afterlife. Viewed by many as harbringers of new beginnings, seeing a white butterfly can provide myriad interpretations, and lucky for us– they’re all good!

Spiritual Symbolism

White butterflies are believed to bring messages from deceased loved ones. If you stumble upon a white butterfly during a period of mourning, you can take it as a sign that your loved one is watching over you. White butterflies are viewed as angelic figures, offering comfort during these dark times, letting you know that you are not alone. Their wings, coupled with their white, delicate appearance, typically signal a divine presence and can act as a salve to those in the throes of grief.

White butterflies can symbolize a time for healing. Just like caterpillars must undergo a metamorphosis to become butterflies, we, too, have versions of ourselves that we should seal behind us in the dark cocoons of the past. This healing can be physical, spiritual, or metaphorical. Often, seeing white butterflies can be a push in the right direction, encouraging us to weed out the darkness within us and embrace the light.

White butterflies can herald joy. White is actually not a color, but the absence of color, so seeing a white butterfly could be a sign that you need to add color to your life and spice things up. Maybe you’re feeling stuck in a job you hate or a dead-end relationship– a white butterfly could pop up to grant you the freedom and encouragement to change your circumstances.

Cultural Symbolism

White butterflies hold meaning on a global scale. In Greek and Roman Mythology, Psyche was the goddess of the soul, whose beauty was unmatched– even by Aphrodite. She is often depicted with white butterfly wings, showcasing the cultural ties between white butterflies, purity, and lightness. In some East Asian cultures, white butterflies are regarded as heavenly messengers. They are also associated with femininity, celebration, and good omens. For Christians everywhere, white butterflies have become synonymous with virtue, hope, and faith in the divine.

White Butterflies in Dreams

There’s a number of reasons you might see a white butterfly in your dreams. Interpreting dreams is its own art, but a lot of the meaning that white butterflies carry in real life tend to transfer over to our subconscious minds. Seeing a white butterfly during a REM sesh could mean that your subconscious is urging you to change or transform some aspect of your life, with a focus on turning darkness into light. It could also signal hope that a stressful issue is finally going to be resolved– a metaphorical light at the end of the tunnel, with wings! Moreover, white butterflies are believed to provide comfort to those who seek it, so a white butterfly flitting across your dreams could just be that gentle nudge you needed to know that everything will be okay. No matter what, seeing a white butterfly in your dreams can only be a good thing, so no need to worry. These beautiful, graceful, and pure creatures have nothing but hope to give.

White Butterfly Tattoo Meaning

White butterflies are popular among tattoo enthusiasts. This may be in equal parts due to their aesthetic nature and positive symbolism. A tattoo of a white butterfly on someone’s inner arm could signify that they are making strides toward the most evolved version of themselves and want to be reminded every time they look down. Similarly, it could be a source of comfort for the person, possibly representing the spirit of a lost loved one. Many of the previous interpretations can explain why people love to get this angelic insect inked on their bodies, but there’s always the possibility that they simply like the way it looks. And who could blame them? Butterflies are gorgeous symbols, whether you invest interest in their meaning or not.

Types of White Butterflies

Although there are many types of butterflies, these some of the most well-known. Cabbage White Butterfly The cabbage white butterfly is aptly named due to its love of cabbage. It also loves broccoli, kale, and cauliflower, among various other veggies. A garden pest, the white cabbage worm sets up shop in a growing head of broccoli, spins its chrysalis, and hatches as a small but mighty white butterfly. The whole process takes 3-6 weeks, and the beautiful metamorphosis is certainly worth the wait. Great Southern White Butterfly Native to Florida and the coastal South, these butterflies loves sunny, open areas. Burying into plants like salwort and limber caper as caterpillars, they emerge as white butterflies with black zig-zag patterns on the edges. Known for their wanderlust, Giant Southerns migrate in enormous groups to colonize new horizons. Lucky for them, birds haven’t quite developed a taste for them, which is why they’re more likely to roam free in the skies. Cryptic Wood White Butterfly Native to Ireland, these butterflies have all-white wings with a black spot that is significantly more noticeable in males. Their colorings vary depending on the season, with a summer brood having darker, more prominent spots. So, while a tiger can’t change its stripes, a cryptic wood white butterfly can indeed change its spots.