I have been exploring and I have found a bee and butterfly in a jar. I tried to find the item on skyrim wiki, but it doesn't have it. Does anyone know what these are for? Also they have weird markings on the jar top.

maybe part of the college of winterhold questline? Or perhaps they're some of those unique items to just collect, like the pair of children's trousers (wtf?) in oblivion, for example.

They may be for nothing but a bit of flavour.
Awesome you found a bee:)

I have a butterfly and a torchbug in a jar that liven up my bedroom in Markath.

there's a bee too?! i found the butterfly and it now sits happily on a shelf in my house flapping quietly away. I love these little things, and hope theres loads more little things with animations out there to put in my house as just alittle movement completely changes the feel of the place.

I have a butterfly too. Is it possible to release living torchbugs (No jar) in your house? Will they stay there? Gonna make a mountain of gems in my house too lol.

found the Bee In A Jar and it sits happily next to the alchemy station in my house.

I found the torchbug in a jar. cool to hear there's more

I don't think they're quest items because I can drop them,..

Aww, I didn't realize there were others besides the bee and I tossed mine off a cliff. Had I known, I would've collected them.

Bee in a Jar
Butterfly in a Jar
Dragonfly in a Jar
Moth in a Jar
Torchbug in a Jar

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Miscellaneous_Items

They are just items to collect and decorate with.