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Blue Morpho (Morpho menelaus)

The Blue Morpho is a species of Latin American butterflies famous for the bright blue sheen on their wings. They were highly valued among the 20^th-century butterfly collectors and was widely hunted. The wings of this species are a prime example of iridescent blue coloration in the insect world.

Scientific Classification

Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Morpho
Common names: Menelaus Blue Morpho
Scientific Name: Morpho menelaus

Description and Identification

Caterpillar

The mature larvae are red-brown in color with bright green spots and are covered with bristles. As an evolutionary adaptation, these fine hairy growths release an irritant upon contact to ward off predators. The eggs of the butterfly are laid so that the caterpillars may feed as soon as they hatch.

Pupa

The blue morpho chrysalis is bright green with the shape of a small conch shell hanging from the branches of the host plant. The green coloration of the cocoon is an adaptation to help it camouflage in the rainforest during this stage.

Adult Butterfly

Sexual Dimorphism: Not visibly present

Color and Appearance: When the wings are open, the dorsal sides of the forewings and the hindwings display a bright, iridescent blue coloration edged with black. When the wings are closed, the ventral sides display a brown coloration patterned with a series of eyespots, with two in the primary and three in the secondary wings, running through the center of both the wings almost parallel to the edges. The males are relatively brighter than females.

Average wingspan: Approximately 12 cm by size

Flight pattern: Slow and floppy

Blue Morpho Butterfly Eggs

Eggs

Very small, pale green in color, shaped like dew drops; laid on the underside of host plants’ leaves one at a time

Quick Facts
Distribution	Central and South America, including the Cerrado, Mexico, and Venezuela
Habitat	Spend most of the time on the forest floor and in the lower shrubs and trees of the tropical forests
Weight	2-3 gm
Predators	Mostly birds
Lifespan of adults	About 115 days
Host plants	Various flowers from the species of Erythroxylum, Dalbergia, and Fabaceae
Adult diet	Flower nectar, ripe fruits

Did You Know?

In biological research, the iridescent wings of the species are an area of interest because of its unique microstructure as opposed to other butterfly species that are typically caused by optical interference.
The caterpillars are social by behavior and are often seen in small groups.