Sometimes it's all we have for examples from certain localities - especially for taxa that are geographically diverse and potentially problematic taxonomically. Hopefully people will get out and take pic's in the wild, but until then, we post what we have available to fill in the blanks and to share variations.

It's also important to mention that some people using this site are collectors & hobbyists; mounted specimens often allow people to more easily compare and contrast, as well as see particular characters that are often less visible when the animal is alive and resting in a natural pose (Lep's often sit with wings closed, angled, etc.).

On another note, USDA regulates the movement of living insects across state lines and reqires permits to do so; unless someone happens to be at the right place at the right time, images of living specimens can be difficult to near impossible to obtain. Since many of these preserved specimens come from places less frequently visited and/or sparsely populated, images of living material is potentially even more difficult to come by.