Still Singing the Blues: Blue Morpho

As mentioned yesterday, while the ventral side of the Blue Morpho is brown with large eyespots, the dorsal side is quite blue --- and here's the proof. They are a challenge to photograph though. The Blue Morpho flitters about constantly and when they do land the wings are open only for a split second. Then the wings close (as in yesterday's photo) and rarely open again. So you have one shot.

Blue Morpho

Continuing the Blues: Blue Morpho

Live butterfly exhibits, like the one at the Tucson Botanical Garden provide wonderful opportunities for the photographer. Its exhibit runs from October to April with butterflies from different parts of the world every month. Not only the beautiful colors of the butterfly, but the flowering plants as well. Today's "5" Star photo comes from the TBG and is of the Blue Morpho. No blue on the ventral side, but as you will see with tomorrow's photo the dorsal side is a rich blue color. The ventral side has amazing patterns of eyespots. The Blue Morpho lives in the tropical America's. It's entire life cycle from egg to death is about 115 days.

Blue Morpho

Still More Butterfly Magic

Staying at the Tucson Botanical Garden for one more day, I thought I would share three more Butterfly Photos. The top is a Julia Longwing, a pollen eater which gives it a little longer life, i.e. several months. Its range is Brazil to Southern Texas and Florida. The middle photo is a Common Rose from India and nearby countries. It is common to gardens in India, yet also found at 8,000 feet in the mountains. The red body, slow peculiar flight, bright colouration and pattern of the wings are meant to indicate to predators that this butterfly is inedible, being well protected by the poisons it has sequestered from its larval food plant. It also emits a nasty smelling substance when handled to further enhance its unappealing qualities. Hence it is rarely attacked by predators, a strategy so successful, that edible butterflies have evolved to mimic it, like the female of the Common Mormon.  The bottom photo is a Zebra Longwing found primarily in Central America, but as far North as Florida and Georgia and as far South as Venezuela. It is another pollen and nectar eater so it too has a longer life.

More Butterfly Magic

One of the nice things about photographing butterflies is that they often are on flowers. This means you not only get the beautiful color of the butterfly but the flower as well. The top photo is a leopard lacewing heliconian, found in the South Asian tropics. The colorful male on the left and duller female on the right. The bottom photo is a banded orange heliconian whose range is Brazil to Central Mexico. Prior to their mating season, banded orange males congregate by the hundreds on patches of moist soil that contain mineral salts. When they cannot find such deposits, they look for animals to drink salty secretions from their skin and nostrils. These photos were also taken at the Tucson Botanical Garden.

Butterfly Magic

Each year from October through March the Tucson Botanical Garden has an exhibit of live tropical butterflies from around the world. Each month a new focus: Asia, Australia, Africa, or Central America. It is a photographer's paradise. 20 to 25 different species each month. The photos above are of  the Cairns Birdwing from Australia. In the top photo the male is on the left (with the green coloring on the underside) the female is on the right. In the second photo, as you can see, they are doing what males and females do when they get together -- male on the bottom this time. If you plan a trip to Tucson anytime between October and March, definitely check out this exhibit. You need to be prepared, though. It is in a   greenhouse with temperatures between 90 and 95 and humidity even higher. So, I always take a hand towel with me. It may also take a few minutes for your camera lens to adjust. But, well worth it. You'll love your photos.