Morpho Butterflies
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| Most of the butterflies of the family Morphidae are located in South America. Morpho means beautiful and the iridescence of their scales makes them some of the most beautiful butterflies in the world. Of the 80 species, the smallest has a wingspan of 75 mm and the largest, M. hecuba, have been measured up to 150 mm. All Morpho butterflies have eyespots, called ocelli, on the underside of their wings. This is a defensive trait meant to scare off potential predators. |
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My son first encountered Morpho Butterflies, when he was small, at the Rainforest Pyramid at Moody Gardens in Galveston, TX. One landed on the bright pink on my shirt and he was hooked. He wanted to start collecting them and eventually convinced me to do so as well. He had to, he only had a small section of wall available and it was getting full. Now they are in my living room as well. |
