Blue Peacock

Papilio arcturus

Description:

I saw several of these Swallowtail butterflies mud-puddling on a small sandy beach alongside a river, deep in the indiginous people's land of Dzongo, North Sikkim, India. With wings stretched open, the upperside was a beautiful green studded with thousands of tiny spots of light, like stars in the milky way, created by the effect of light on the butterflies scales. Unseen under the lower hind wing when resting, were 2 patches of intense blue, visible usually only in flight.

Habitat:

mud-puddling on a small sandy beach below the Rang Rang Bridge, between very steep mountains. 850 meters altitude

Notes:

Added a blurry photo showing the blue patches on the upper hindwing.

Species ID Suggestions

17 Comments

pamsai 5 years ago

Thanks all for the congratulations for this beautiful butterfly, my first ever SOTW! Back from Africa now, and happy to have reliable internet again... Photos coming !

triggsturner 5 years ago

Another great series Pam. Congratulations on your SOTW.

Dan Doucette 5 years ago

Congrats Pam! What a beauty!

TinTinMarAye 5 years ago

Congrats Pam. Great butterfly photo.

outsidegirl0 5 years ago

Congrats! Beautiful snapshot :)

Neil Ross 5 years ago

Congratulations, Pam. Lovely spotting, and great photos too.

Mark Ridgway 5 years ago

Congrats Pam. A real beauty.

pamsai 5 years ago

Thank you so much Daniele... I've had so many nominations for SOTW, and you chose this one for my first winner, and that, on my birthday. Proud and honoured to receive this gift... Thank you, and thanks to all the PN Rangers.

DanielePralong 5 years ago

Congratulations Pam, this beautiful Blue Peacock has been voted Spotting of the Week! We can't wait to discover what you'll find in Ghana!

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pamsai 5 years ago

Wow Ashley, that was unexpected, and you nominated it on my birthday ! (well it was there when I opened PN on my birthday!) Doubly nice... Thank you...
Arrived last night in Ghana. Hoping to see and photograph some spectacular butterflies in the next month...

AshleyT 5 years ago

Your spotting has been nominated for the Spotting of the Week. The winner will be chosen by the Project Noah Rangers based on a combination of factors including: uniqueness of the shot, status of the organism (for example, rare or endangered), quality of the information provided in the habitat and description sections. There is a subjective element, of course; the spotting with the highest number of Ranger votes is chosen. Congratulations on being nominated!