Blue Morpho

As you enter the greenhouse where the butterflies are (at the Tucson Botanical Garden) the first thing you notice -- other than the 93 degree heat and 95 degree humidity -- are dozens of large blue butterflies flying around. The Blue Morpho is a resident of the Central and South American Tropics. Their wingbeat is decidedly slow so they almost look animated. They never seem to land anywhere -- although there are many that have. You just don't see them land. When they are at rest their wings are closed and you would never know that the dorsal side of the wings are blue. If you are patient, occasionally you can find one with its wings open as in the first photo. But as with the second photo you can see how intricate its ventral (under) wings are with several "eyespots". (If you click on the photo you can see it enlarged).

Blue Morpho

Blue Morpho