#852: Xerces Blue

The Xerces Blue was a member of the gossamer-winged butterfly Family and endemic to the coastal sand dunes of San Francisco. Here she suffered due to urban development, her habitat disappearing and taking her with it. It is thought that introduced ant species may have contributed. Gossamer-winged butterfly rely on ants in the early stages of larval development. The larvae release a sweet-tasting honeydew which the ants find attractive. They then tend for the caterpillar and are rewarded with the honeydew. Introduced ants may have displaced the naturally occurring ants but not replaced them in the juvenile-care stage.

You can colour the butterfly if you like - the colour is in the name :)

#777. Ulyssus Butterfly

The Ulysses Butterfly is a large blue swallowtail butterfly, found throughout northeastern Australia and surrounding islands. She measures an average of 15cm in width, and can be found in rainforets and suburban gardens. Her vivid blue colouration comes through the microscopic structure of the scales on her wings, which interferes with light and causes the irridescence. The underside of her wings are a rather more subdued brown, allowing her to camouflage when she sits at rest. As she flies, the blue flashes and attracts attention, hopefully from males - not predators!

#734: Sunset Moth

Creature Feature #544: Orange-tip Butterfly

The Orange-tip is a butterfly of the English - and European - countryside, commonly seen fluttering across hedgegrows and through damp woodlands. The male is characterised by his brightly tipped wings, the female a more dowdy white. The underside of their wings are mottled green and white, affording camouflage when he perches on flowerheads. Eggs are laid on wild crucifers, such as cuckooflower and wild garlic. Once the caterpillars hatch, they reduce competition for the host plant by practising cannibalism and also eating any unhatched eggs.

Creature Feature #472: Monarch

Today's entry is dedicated to the memory of Carol "Monarch" Schmidt, a fine artist who helped welcome me to the world of Artist Trading Cards and whom dedicated her time and passions to these astonishing insects.

The Monarch Butterfly is a milkweed butterfly with a cosmopolitan distribution. She is found in America, Australia, New Zealand, Africa and parts of Asia. She has even been transported into space and bred in the international space station. In America, she is most noted for her long migration. During the summer months, her range extends up into southern Canada, but as the days grow shorter, individuals gather together and begin a journey south to overwinter in California and Mexico. Colonies can travel over 4,000 kms. In New Zealand the Monarch also migrates, albeit a much shorter journey. The life cycle of the Monarch is one that  most people are familiar with: they are reliant on milkweed plants, specifically the "swan plant" to reproduce. The female lays her eggs, and the tiny yellow and black striped caterpillars hatch. These caterpillars strip the swan plant, becoming somewhat toxic from their diet. This does not deter all predators however, and some will fall prey to other invertebrates such as praying mantises or paper wasps.

Creature Feature #121: Comet Moth

The Comet Moth, or Madagascar Moon Moth, is one of the largest silk moths in the world. He can measure up to twenty cm across. Like many moths, he spends the majority of his life - about two months - as a caterpillar before pupating. His natural habitat is the rainforest, and the cocoon is riddled with holes to allow for drainage and prevent the pupae from drowning. Once he has hatched he is incapable of eating, and will only survive for 4-5 days. His main aim is to reproduce. Female Comet Moths can lay over 120 eggs. Like many Madagascan creatures, the Comet Moth is threatened by deforestation, but he does readily reproduce in captivity.

Creature Feature #60: Blue Morpho Butterfly

The Blue Morpho is a large and attractive butterfly. He makes his home in the tropical forests of Latin America, where he actively flits from flower to flower. The topside of his wings are a vibrant, irridescent blue; the undersides a dull brown and when he flies these flash and give the impression that he is vanishing and reappearing. When at rest, his wings are folded shut to offer camouflage against the many predators. The irridescence is created by microscopic scales that cover the wings and reflect light. Due to these vibrant colours, the Blue Morpho is prized by collectors and is hunted, but also bred in captivity, for this purpose. He is also under threat from deforestation.

Creature Feature #28: Atlas Moth

The Atlas Moth of South East Asia is the largest moth in the world, with a wingspan measuring up to 25cm (10 inches) wide. The female is larger than the male. To attract a mate, the female releases pheremones to lure the males towards her, using chemoreceptors in their fuzzy antennae. They can detect this up to several kilometres away, which is good because as large and heavy as she is, the female is an unsteady flier and will not move far from her chrysalis.

In India, the Atlas Moth chrysalis has been used to make silk and their cocoons are occasionally used as purses in Taiwan.