Showing posts with label Morpho peliedes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Morpho peliedes. Show all posts

Sunday, April 13, 2014

The latest in Fashion Acessories, Morpho Butterflies!

Common Blue Morpho, Morpho peleides, perching on a safari hat.  Blue Morphos range from Mexico to Northern South America and Trinidad.

Morpho species, not sure which species but clearly related.  It could just be the angle that causes the color change but it certainly appears to have a different pattern from the common blue morpho.

Friday, April 12, 2013

Blue Morpho Butterfly on White Hat


Blue Morpho Butterfly (Morpho peleides) on white hat. For some odd reason, these butterflies are attracted to white. In this picture, you can see two blue morphos on the same hat. If I recall, there was a third, for a brief moment, as well. In nature, the caterpillars of the Blue Morpho butterfly feed on plants in the pea family. Once mature, the butterflies live on the juice/fluid from rotting fruit, decomposing animals, tree sap, fungi and wet mud. Not the most apetizing menu. It's not at all clear what food or other stimulus the butterflies were mistaking this baseball cap for.

Morphos spend most of their time near the forest floor, which is understandable, given their diet. They range from Mexico through Columbia and are sometimes found in large swarms that are visible at great distances.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Blue Morpho Butterly


Blue Morpho Butterfly, Morpho peliedes, perched on a leaf. It's tough getting shots with their wings open as they seem to largely keep them closed for camoflage when they perch.