Blue Morpho--easily the most striking butterfly in the
aviary. Morphidae is a relatively small family of butterflies, but contains
some of the most beautiful. These are the metallic butterflies. When they sit
still, they fold their wings, which are drab beneath. When they take flight,
their metallic colors flash in the sun, dazzlingly predators, and making the
butterfly strangely invisible when it lands and shuts its wings. The eye gets
so used to following the brilliant color, that it skips right over the resting
butterfly. This one has torn wing-tips, so you can see the metallic blue peaking
out.
A Morpho is flying above this Small Postman. You can
see a bit of his body above, and, curiously, his shadow on the leaf.
This Morpho has had a rough time. You can see that they're
a large butterfly.
A perfect morpho doing something rare--sitting still
with wings spread. This is the only one I saw do this in the 3 times I've visited.
Below, you see the more characteristic morpho--in flight.
These morphos are eating rotten fruit. Notice their
lovely eye-spots, distinct from the owl butterfly in the upper right.
At the time people were naming butterflies, men of science
were obviously not as ignorant of literature as they have now gained a reputation
for being. Here we have Morpho achilles. Above, we had Morpho menelaus.
Tailed Jay is a beautiful green and back butterfly.
The same guy must have named this one as named the morphos: Graphium agamemnon.
Malay lacewing--looks like someone cut along the edges
of its wings with one of those fancy scrapbooking scissors.
Tiger Longwing.
Sara Longwing.
Doris Longwing.
Favorite bromeliad. Gotta find one of these.
Among other things, this box includes Morpho adonis
(top right), Morpho hecuba (bottom left), Morpho telemachus (bottom
center), bottom left Morpho menelaus (bottom right), Morpho achilles
(middle left), Morpho helena (or cypris; not sure) (middle
left). Morpho polyphemus (middle center). Curiously out of place, the
pearl morpho in the top middle: Morpho sulkowski.
