A
butterfly net (sometimes called an
aerial insect net) is one of several kinds of
nets used to collect
insects. The entire bag of the net is generally constructed from a lightweight mesh to minimize damage to delicate
butterfly wings. Other types of nets used in
insect collecting include
beat nets, aquatic nets, and
sweep nets. Nets for catching different insects have different mesh sizes. Aquatic nets usually have bigger, more 'open' mesh. Catching small aquatic creatures usually requires an
insect net. The mesh is smaller and can capture more.