Sensational butterflies exhibit at London's Natural History Museum brings visitors face-to-face with the tropical creatures

The Natural History Museum of London's "Sensational Butterflies" lets visitors come to face-to-face with beautiful and often rare tropical butterflies.

The temporary tent, set up for the seventh year through Sept. 13, 2015, shows off the tropical creatures in all their glory, with their life cycle - from caterpillars to chrysalises to fluttering butterflies - on full display.

Photo: Stella Ferruzola, 3, poses with a Blue Morpho butterfly on her nose at the "Sensational Butterflies" exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London.

Butterflly pupae

Butterfly pupae hang at the "Sensational Butterflies" exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London, March 31, 2015.

The temporary tent houses hundreds of tropical butterflies from Africa, Asia, and South America.

Tropical butterflies

A butterfly lands on the face of seven-year-old Harry Brown in the "Sensational Butterflies" exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London, March 25, 2013.

Tropical butterflies

Butterflies are released into the "Sensational Butterflies" exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London, March 25, 2013.

The live butterflies include Swallowtails, Blue Morphos and Owls.

Butterfly pupae

A handler moves a large Tiger butterfly as it attempts to hang onto butterfly pupae during a a preview to highlight the forthcoming "Sensational Butterflies" exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London, March 31, 2015.

The Tiger butterfly closely resembles the Monarch butterfly and can be found in India, Sri Lanka, and elsewhere in South East Asia.

Blue Wave butterfly

A Blue Wave butterfly emerges from its chrysalis during a photocall in the Natural History Museum's "Sensational Butterflies" outdoor butterfly house in London on March 31, 2015.

Blue Morpho butterflies

Blue Morpho butterflies (Morpho peleides) sit on a leaf at the "Sensational Butterflies" exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London, March 25, 2013.

Blue Morphos come from the tropical forests of Latin America.

Owl buttefly

An Owl butterfly rests on a girl's head at the "Sensational Butterflies" exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London, March 31, 2015.

Owl butterflies are some of the largest in the exhibition.

Tiger butterfly

A large Tiger butterfly sits on a plant during a preview for the "Sensational Butterflies" exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London, March 31, 2015.

Chysalis

A butterfly emerges from its chrysalis in the "Sensational Butterflies" exhibition at the Natural History museum in London, March 25, 2013.

The temporary tropical butterfly house is stationed on the Natural History Museum's east lawn.

Malachite butterfly

A Malachite butterfly lands on the face of a girl during a preview of the "Sensational Butterflies" exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London, March 31, 2015.

The Malachite is found in South America and sometimes finds its way to Texas and Florida.

Butterflies

Children watch as butterflies are released during in the Natural History Museum's "Sensational Butterflies" outdoor butterfly house in London, March 31, 2014.

Scarlett Swallowtail butterfly

A Scarlett Swallowtail butterfly (Papilio rumanzovia) sits on a leaf at the "Sensational Butterflies" exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London, March 25, 2013.

Also known as Scarlet Mormom, the butterflies come from the Australasia, Indomalaya ecozone.

Butterfly 'bait'

A butterfly rests on an orange in the "Sensational Butterflies" exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London, March 25, 2013.

Fruit is used to attract the butterflies.

'Sensational Butterflies'

A woman observes butterflies flying around her in the "Sensational Butterflies" exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London, March 25, 2013.

With around 400 live tropical butterflies and moths living in the temporary facility, visitors will get the chance to see them flying freely as well as looking for emerging butterflies at the hatchery window.

Papilio memnon butterfly

A Papilio memnon (Great Mormon) is in the Natural History Museum's "Sensational Butterflies" outdoor butterfly house in London, March 31, 2014.

The butterfly comes from Australasia.

Papilio memnon butterfly

A Papilio memnon butterfly sits on a woman's head in the Natural History Museum's "Sensational Butterflies" outdoor butterfly house in London, March 31, 2014.

Butterflies released

A boy reacts as butterflies are released into the "Sensational Butterflies" exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London, March 25, 2013.

Chysalis

Butterflies emerge from their chrysalises in the Natural History Museum's "Sensational Butterflies" outdoor butterfly house in London, March 31, 2014.