blue moon
Out this afternoon for a walk we were attentive to the Monarch butterflies around the place. There’s quite a few about. Most of the swan plants have been massacred and the remaining caterpillars looking a bit sick by now, but obviously some have made it into adulthood.
And then we saw a few of these.
I haven’t seen them before: they are about the same size as a Monarch but are a midnight blue colour, with the large luminous spots you see. Our camera is not quite good enough to make a decent job of the picture (it was taken from a wee way away), but at least you get the idea.
Bella called it a Blue Moon Butterfly, which is as good a name as any. Does anyone know what it’s official name is?
Sarah
28 March 2005, 21:57 #
That does indeed look like a Blue Moon Butterfly: Hypolimnas bolina nerina.
Sarah
28 March 2005, 21:59 #
There was a link in there that got eaten.
Sarah
28 March 2005, 22:02 #
And also, when your daughter the entomologist tells you stuff, you should just listen.
Alan
28 March 2005, 22:15 #
Obviously so!
We are completely gobsmacked here. And Bella will be well stoked. I shall show her that page tomorrow. Thanks!
Alan
29 March 2005, 09:17 #
I checked with Bella this morning – it seems she remembered it from a book she was reading with another mother at Playcentre recently. I’m still impressed though.
The only mystery now is what they are doing here in Eastern BoP – several hundred kilometres from where they are usually spotted, according to Sarah’s link. Are they breeding here?
hi
26 May 2005, 19:14 #
hi