Four Unique Butterflies

Table of Contents

3

Owl Butterfly

6

Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing

Nymphalidae Family

The Nymphalidae are the largest family of butterflies, with more than 6,000 species distributed throughout most of the world. Belonging to the superfamily Papilionoidea, they are usually medium-sized to large butterflies. Most species have a reduced pair of forelegs and many hold their colourful wings flat when resting. They are also called brush-footed butterflies or four-footed butterflies, because they are known to stand on only four legs while the other

Caligo Memnon

Owl Butterfly

Diet Habitat

In captivity, these butterflies are happy feeding in groups and they enjoy the juices of fermenting fruit, typically banana, pineapple and mango. In the forest they also feed on the dung of large mammals, and make a nuisance of themselves on sugar cane plantations. The larvae feed on forest trees and also agricultural crops,

Owl butterflies enjoy a humid climate and inhabit the dense rainforests of Central America, South America, and Mexico. Although they enjoy rainfall, they do not live in areas with heavy downpours. In addition, they are often spotted near banana plantations or agricultural lands where they prefer to lay their eggs

Owl Butterfly on a twig

Owl Butterfly eating fruit

Description

These butterflies are famous for the striking ‘eyes’ gazing from its wings, this large butterfly can be spotted a mile off. Researchers think the dark owl eyes on its wings are a case of camouflage, warding off predators by confusing them. With a wingspan of up to 20 centimetres, the species is the largest butterfly in the Americas, and is easy to spot in butterfly houses, where they certainly make their presence known.

Caterpillars of the species are similarly impressive, reaching 15 centimetres in length. They have horns on their heads and small forked tails, resembling huge slugs with black spikes along the spine.

Owl Butterfly Caterpillar

Owl Butterfly

Swallowtail Family

The Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing is the largest butterfly in the world and is known for their vibrant coloration. The species is relatively new and was discovered only in 1906 by English naturalist and bird collector Albert Stewart Meek, in forests of New Guinea. The males of these giant arthropods are much smaller in size than their female counterparts. The species has been declared as ‘EN’ (Endangered) by the IUCN 2.3 since they are decreasing in population due to deforestation and resultant habitat loss.

Ornithopter Alexandrae

Diet Habitat

A pipevine is the primary plant that larvae eat. Adults will use their proboscis, which is a long straw-like tongue, to drink nectar. Hibiscus flowers are large enough to support the Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing.

This butterfly species is found in a few sites in Papua New Guinea, but mainly on the Popondetta Plain in the northern part of the island. Queen Alexandra’s birdwing butterflies inhabit primary and secondary lowland rain forests at elevations up to 1,300 feet

(396 meters) Male butterflies swarm around large Kwila trees.

Queen Alexandra’s Butterfly Drinking nectar

Queen Alexandra’s Butterfly (underwing)

Description

The female has rounded brown wings with white spots with a patch of red fur on its brown thorax. The male has slimmer bluegreen wings with a black stripe, a blue-green underside with black veins. Both have a bright yellow abdomen. They have 2 compound eyes, antennae, a proboscis, 6 legs, and wings covered with scales.

The Queen Alexandra’s birdwing caterpillar is large and black, with rows of red spikes running along its back. A yellow band runs across its back. The vines on which the caterpillar feeds are poisonous to vertebrates. The caterpillar isn’t affected by the poison, and retains it in its own body.

Queen Alexandra’s Caterpillar

Queen Alexandra’s Butterfly

Nymphalidae Family

Diaethria anna is one of the most beautiful butterflies of Central America, its common name is butterfly 88 for the drawings of its wings. During its megration it flies from Mexico to the North of Bolivia, generally from 800 to 2000 meters. Rarely marks on its wings the number 89.. one of the most numerous and diverse in Mexico. Its size is very variable, some are small and fragile and others of large size and robust body.

Anna’s

Diaethria

Anna

Diet Habitat

The caterpillars feed on tropical plants in the families Ulmaceae and Sapindaceae. Adults feed on rotting fruit and dung. The caterpillar (larva stage) eats plant leaves. The caterpillars feed on tropical plants in the families Ulmaceae and Sapindaceae

Wet tropical forests in Middle America. On rare occasions, it can be found as a stray in south Texas. Its upperside is dark brown with a metallic bluish-green band on the forewings. The Peruvian 88 Butterfly is native to the sub-tropical Amazon rain forest in Peru in South America. It prefers river.

Anna’s 88 Butterfly

Anna’s 88 Butterfly

Description

The Butterfly 88 owes its name to the pattern that its scales mark on the front of its wings, while on the back they are dark colors with strips of color of a luminous or intense metallic hue of blue or green colors, and in some cases can look pale pink depending on the lighting. They are dark-colored butterflies, with a yellow-green metallic stripe on the front wings and a blue lower edge on the hind wings.

Caterpillars of the species are a really bright green color that camoflauges with the leafs and grass. it is dark green on top and a lighter green under its belly its antennas are spiky looking and very unique

Anna’s 88 Butterfly

Anna’s 88 Caterpillar

Hamadryas Butterfly

Cracker butterflies are a Neotropical group of medium-sized brush-footed butterfly species of the genus Hamadryas. They acquired their common name due to the unusual way that males produce a “cracking” sound as part of their territorial displays. Male cracker butterflies are known for their ability to make a cracking noise with their wings, which is believed to either be for mating or to ward off rival males

Hamadryas

Feronia

Cracker Butterfly

Diet Habitat

Unlike most butterflies, these species don’t feed on nectar. Instead, cracker butterflies feed on rotting fruit, sap from leguminous trees, and animal dung. They feed mainly on decomposing fruit, but they also occasionally settle on the ground to imbibe mineralized moisture

Adults are primarily found along the edges of tropical forest but they can also be found in surrounding areas and clearings within the forest. There are multiple broods each year which makes it possible to find adults flying year round in the warmest parts of their range.

Starry Night Cracker Butterfly (bottom of wings)

Starry Night Cracker Butterfly

Description

The starry night cracker is a black butterfly with iridescent blue speckling on its wings. The female has a white band on the underside of the forewing that is broader than the band on the male. The wingspan is about 7 cm (2.8 in). There are 20 different species so they all vary on how they look.

Striking caterpillar ,approx 60mm in length

fuzzy hair with orange darker green stripes. it usually hangs out in the lower shrubs inclunding mangroves.

Starry Night Cracker Butterfly

Cracker Butterfly Caterpillar