Dancing Butterflies

Europe

Apollo butterflies have beautiful white bodies with eyespots on their wings.The forewings have a number of black eyespots and the hindwings are decorated with four attractive red eyespots. These butterflies can be found in France, Italy, and Spain. Apollo butterflies are among the most threatened species of butterflies in Europe.

These butterflies are known for their defensive strategy. The larvae form of apollo butterflies are deep dark in color and they exhibit camouflage using the color. Since adult butterflies cannot use this technique due to their red eyespots they instead produce a foul smell to threaten predators.

Peacock butterflies have an amazing pattern of eyespots which make them one of the most easily recognizable and best-known butterfly species. These butterflies got their name from the wing markings. The undersides of the wings are very dark and resemble dead leaves. These are fairly large butterflies and strong flyers. The Peacock butterflies have nomadic instincts and range widely all over the countryside and find habitats in woodland clearings, rides, and edges. The species is widespread and continue to expand their range in northern parts of Britain and Ireland.

Purple Emperor butterflies fly high in the tree tops of well-wooded landscapes in central-southern England. They feed on aphid honeydew and tree sap. Adult butterflies are extremely elusive and occur at low densities over large areas. Occasionally the male butterflies descend to the ground around mid-morning looking for salts from either road surfaces or from animal dung. Unfortunately, Purple Emperor butterflies have declined during the twentieth century and are now restricted to some of the large woods in southern England spending a great deal of their time in the treetops.

Asia

Peacock pansy butterflies have amazing eyespots and are native to South Asian countries. Their wings are yellowish brown with brown edges. Along with the season the patterns on the underside of their wings change. They have brighter patterns during the dry season and form eyespots during the wet season. Peacock pansy eggs hatch in 3 – 5 days The host plant leaves are the main food of caterpillars and 5 – 6 days go by for the butterfly to develop from the pupa. They like to live in gardens and open areas.

Emerald Swallowtail butterflies are members of a large family of swallowtail butterflies with 550 different species on these butterflies in the world. The emerald butterflies are one of the most colorful and largest butterflies in the world. They are mainly found in Southeast Asia. Their wings have shining green bands and coloration on the wings make blue and yellow reflections. The coloring on the underpart of the emerald butterfly wings are black and orange and at the edges of the underside of their wings there are blue spots.

Dead Leaf Butterflies came by their name because they have a unique mechanism they can use to camouflage and hide from predators, They have brown wings with irregular patterns resembling dead leaves. The underside of their wings is colorful, unlike the dull upper side. Dead Leaf Butterflies are found in forest all across Asia and are also known as Indian Leaf Butterflies, They cannon fly fast over long distances and prefer to stay in one place unless threatened. Their diet includes nectar from flowers and fruits.

The USA

Florida

Zebra Longwing Butterflies were declared as the official butterflies of the US stated of Florida in 1996. They have low narrow wings and stripes like a zebra’s. The color of their wings is black and yellow stripes. These butterflies feed on pollen and their native habitats are in South and Central America. They are the only butterflies that feed on pollen. They also enjoy leaves and nectar. Zebra longwings tend to make creaking sounds when their threatened. During the nighttime these butterflies stay together in a group on the branches of trees.

Mangrove Skipper butterflies have streaks of blue all through their coloring. These butterflies live in mangrove forests and can be found along the coasts of Florida. Their natural habitats extend as far south as Argentina and into the Caribbean. The butterflies have a wingspan of about three inches and they sip nectar from mangrove flowers as well as from citrus trees, bougainvillea, Spanish needles, and native lantana.

Monarch butterflies are associated with milkweed since their larvae eat only that. When they turn into butterflies they sip the nectar from hemp to cornflowers, lilac, thistles, and more. Every year Monarch butterflies migrate from Canada and the northern US to southern states like Florida and California and into sanctuaries in Mexico, They have brightly colored wings which are a form of protection against predators telling them they taste bad and could possibly be poisonous, Monarch butterflies are important for pollinating plants.

American Painted Lady butterflies can be found in North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. They have bright coloration and in the springtime fly relatively lower, close to the ground. They like to spend their time in open deciduous woodlands as well as meadows and city parks. When their wings are open the upper side has uneven yellow, brown, and orange colors, The forewings have a black mark along with a white spot below it and a white bar by the edge of the forewing, When closed the underside of the hindwings has a pair of large eyespots.

South America

Blue Morpho Butterflies are among the largest butterflies in the world and live in the tropical forests of South and Central America, These butterflies have blue wings with black edges. There is brown coloring on the underpart of their wings as well as eyespots. The black color on their wings help to camouflage them from such predators like birds, frogs, and lizards. When it comes to mating season you can see the blue morpho butterflies in all parts of the forest. When other animals threaten them they release a strong smell from their glands. Their diets includes the leaves of various plants, fungi, and rotting fruit.

Eighty Eight Butterflies appear to have the number 88 on their wings. They make their home in South and Central America. Depending on the species their coloring varies.Their wings are black and band of blue and green are on the forewings and the underside has interesting black markings on white and red. These butterflies gather in small or large groups and can be found in places where humans habitat. They enjoy being on rock faces and mineral rich soil. The mostly feed on rotten fruit.

Giant Owl Butterflies are known for their huge owl-like eyespots on the underpart of the wings. They are native to both South and Central America. These butterflies have a wingspan between 13 and 16 centimetres. Since the huge eye pattern on their wings resembles the eyes of many predators they help them escape from potential predators like frogs or lizards. Their upper wings of owl butterflies are yellowish brown with purple borders.

Sylphina Angel butterflies have beautiful transparent wings and can be found across Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia, The transparent inner part of their wings are lined by black outer wings, They attractive tails are in green, blue, and pink hues. These butterflies spend most of their time beneath the leaves of plants and make flight in full sunlight, They like to look for their food on their own but on clear days can be found in groups of tens to hundreds of butterflies beneath the leaves of plants. Sylphina Angel butterflies migrate distances of up to 320 km during the spring season to find flowers rich in nectar.