Blue Morpho

Description:

This iridescent tropical butterfly found in Mexico, Central America, northern South America, Paraguay, and Trinidad. The brilliant blue color in the butterfly's wings is caused by the diffraction of the light from millions of tiny scales on its wings. It uses this to frighten away predators, by flashing its wings rapidly. The wingspan of the Blue Morpho butterfly ranges from 7.5–20 cm (3.0–7.9 in). The entire Blue Morpho Butterfly lifecycle, from egg to adult is only 115 days

Habitat:

Spotted at Niagara parks Butterfly Conservatory, Ontario, Canada

Notes:

The Blue Morpho Butterfly drinks the juices from rotting fruits for food. Its favourites are mango, kiwi, and lychee. Blue Morpho butterflies live in the rainforests of South America, and can be found in Mexico and Central America.The larvae of Blue Morpho Butterflies are cannibals. The caterpillar Blue Morpho Butterfly is red-brown with patches of bright green.The Blue Morpho Butterflies stick together in groups to deter their predators.