
Butterfly needles, also known as winged infusion sets, are a very common
needle style used to collect blood during a venipuncture. The butterfly
needle consists of the stainless steel collection needle fitted with
flexible "wings," which the phlebotomist uses to grip the needle, and a
valve that attaches to a tube, through which blood drawn flows into a
collection tube. Butterfly needles are popular because of their
ease-of-use, and their size makes them an optimal choice for drawing
blood from children or geriatric patients.