Newly discovered fossils show that moths and butterflies have been on the planet for at least 200 million years. Scientists found fossilised butterfly scales the size of a speck of dust inside ancient rock from Germany.<br/><br/>The find pushes back the date for the origins of the Lepidoptera, one of the most prized and studied insect groups. Researchers say they can learn more about the conservation of butterflies and moths by studying their early evolution.<br/><br/>Dr Bas van de Schootbrugee of Utrecht University in the Netherlands said that they found the microscopic remains of these organisms in the form of these scales. <br/><br/>The evolution of this group with proboscises – with a tongue, has now been pushed back by about 70 million years.