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Ornithoptera euphorion
The Cairns Birdwing is a species of birdwing butterfly endemic to northeastern Australia. Other common names include Cooktown Birdwing and Northern Birdwing.Males have a predominately black upper wing with emerald green flashes, however the female lacks the green coloring, having a plain black upper wing with white patches. The female is the larger of the two sexes. Females have a wingspan reaching of up to 150 mm, males - 125 mm. Adults are freely attracted to flowers, including Lantana, Hibiscus and Bougainvillea.
Its favoured habitat is primary rainforest, although the species will breed readily in a home garden if the correct larval host plants are grown.
@ Garden center. The species is abundant throughout its range and is not threatened.
Take it from someone in the industry, if you saw this at Butterfly World (and the background of the shot suggests so) then this is Ornithoptera priamus, as it is the only common Ornithoptera available for import.
Was this butterfly found flying free..or was it in a butterfly enclosure? It wouldn't be too good to have another Australian exotic in FL, beautiful though it is.
Spotted on Jun 2, 2012
Submitted on Jun 4, 2012
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