A newly discovered butterfly species has been named after Iryna Zarutska, the 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who was brutally stabbed to death in North Carolina on a Charlotte light rail train in August.
Zarutska, who fled war-torn Ukraine seeking safety in America, was savagely attacked from behind and stabbed in the neck by a repeat criminal, Decarlos Brown Jr., 31, while riding the train.
Surveillance video captured the gruesome attack, during which bystanders showed no concern for Zarutska as she bled to death.
To honor her memory, lepidopterist Harry Pavulaan, a 70-year-old scientist who discovered the new butterfly species in the southeastern U.S., named it “Celastrina iryna” or “Iryna’s Azure.”
Pavulaan, moved to tears by Zarutska’s story, published a taxonomic report on the butterfly, which features light blue wings and flies mainly in April in South Carolina.
“The species name is a tribute to Iryna Zarutska, the 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who was senselessly murdered on August 22, 2025, on a Charlotte, N.C. transit car. Common name: Iryna’s Azure. The name is derived from the Greek goddess of peace, and is associated with tranquility, harmony and serenity,” Pavulaan wrote in his report.
#BREAKING: A scientist who discovered a new species of butterfly has named it after Iryna Zarutska to ensure “she is never forgotten.”
The scientist said, “Her name will be forever immortalized as a butterfly…”
The butterfly is called “Iryna’s Azure.” pic.twitter.com/ebq9DqgplE
— Matt Van Swol (@matt_vanswol) October 26, 2025
WCNC reports:
The discovery caps a decades-long mystery in butterfly taxonomy. The species was first noted by South Carolina researcher Ronald Gatrelle in 1985, who collected specimens from Aiken and Barnwell counties but never formally described them. After Gatrelle’s death, Pavulaan acquired his collection and launched a systematic effort to locate and study the butterfly.
During field studies in 2018 and 2019, Pavulaan collected 88 male specimens and three females from sites across South Carolina and Georgia. The butterfly has since been confirmed in five states: Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina.
What sets Celastrina iryna apart is its unique wing structure. Males possess elongated, transparent wing scales that create a distinctive matte-like reflectance — a feature previously known only in two other butterfly species. This characteristic gives the males “a very bright, reflective, whitish appearance in flight,” according to the research.
Scientists hypothesize the species may have originated from an ancient hybridization event.
Pavulaan sent copies of his research and photos of the butterflies to Zarutska’s family, hoping to provide a small measure of comfort.
Brown has been charged with first-degree murder, and he will be eligible for the death penalty.
Homeless and reportedly suffering from schizophrenia, Brown has a rap sheet dating back to 2007 with at least 14 arrests in North Carolina alone. His prior convictions include assault, illegal firearms possession, felony robbery, and larceny. He should have been locked up long before this tragedy.
Repeat Criminal Who Savagely Stabbed and Killed Iryna Zarutska on North Carolina Train Indicted by Federal Grand Jury, Now Eligible for Death Penalty
In response to the shocking murder, North Carolina lawmakers passed “Iryna’s Law” earlier this month, eliminating cashless bail for violent offenders and speeding up death penalty proceedings.
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