California Dogface Butterfly Stamp (Non-Machineable For Square Envelopes)

The California dogface butterfly (Zerene Eurydice) is only found in California and was designated as that state’s official state insect in 1972. The male butterfly shows striking colors and wing patterns resembling a poodle’s face in profile which gives it its unusual name. The female displays subdued soft yellows with a single small dark spot on each forewing.

Its used on irregular-size envelopes. Such as square greeting cards, RSVP envelopes often enclosed with wedding invitations, party invitations, thank-you notes, announcements, or any other irregularly sized correspondence.

These envelopes cannot pass through the automated Postal processing system and have to be hand-canceled. They are charged a non-machineable surcharge even if they weigh less than one ounce. Greeting card envelopes printed with a silhouette of a butterfly indicate the need for the use of a butterfly stamp. Any non-machineable envelope, like oddly shaped or vertical envelopes, as well as lumpy envelopes, rigid envelopes, or mail with clasps, ribbons, or buttons, may use this stamp.