What are the big blue butterflies we see in butterfly exhibits?

We have a new article on Featured Creatures that will answer that question!

Take a sneak peek with this excerpt from the article: Morpho peleides Kollar, the blue morpho butterfly, also known as the peleides blue morpho or common blue morpho, is a brightly colored butterfly abundant in tropical environments in Central and South America (Figure 1). It can be seen flying in open areas such as paths, trails, forest edges, and rivers, and avoiding dense forest (Young 1973).

This butterfly is often featured in museums and zoos having butterfly houses or butterfly rainforests in the United States.

Morpho_peleides01

Figure 1. Captive adult female Morpho peleides Kollar. Photograph by Andrei Sourakov, McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida.

Available at: http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/bfly/blue_morpho.htm

Authors: Haleigh A. Ray, Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Jacqueline Y. Miller, McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, University of Florida

0

Avatar photo
Posted: October 10, 2015


Category: 4-H & Youth, Recreation, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
Tags: Blue Butterfly, Entomology, FAQ, Insects


Subscribe For More Great Content

IFAS Blogs Categories