Exotic Butterflies

Photographed in the butterfly house at the Devonian Botanic Gardens near Edmonton, this Common Blue Morpho was resting on the glass with his wings opened and so I was able to get a decent picture. The colors of these insects are incredible and no picture can do just to their shimmering and changing beauty.

This was taken at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle. I believe I have the identification correct and if so the Latin name is Anartia amathea. This shot was taken in a darker area of the butterfly house and though shot at an ISO of 1600 it was hard to get good depth of field. I am not particularly proud of the picture, but wanted to post a butterfly today and this photo caught my eye in my archives.

Photographed at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle. These guys were hard to photograph - they never stayed still for more than a few seconds!

Photographed at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle. These guys were difficult to photograph. They rarely stayed in one place long enough for a picture.

Photographed in the butterfly house at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle, this butterfly is native to Central America. The reason for the name "Owl Butterfly" is obvious, but there is disagreement between those who believe that the eye-spots are a form of mimicry that deters predators or a decoy that diverts attack away from the body of the insect.

Photographed in the butterfly house at the Pacific Science Center, Seattle. Viewed large the butterfly's tongue can be seen reaching into the flower.

Dryas julia is one of the "longwing" butterflies from the family Heliconiidae.

In Explore April 14, 2010, #311. This butterfly was photographed at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle. Its Latin name is Anartia amathea. Thanks to greenkayak for the ID.