Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images. © 2021 WILD SKY MEDIA. They are usually on the floors of rainforests camoflauging them self! | Butterfly Diet, What Do Praying Mantis Eat | Praying Mantis Diet, Peacock Butterfly Facts | Anatomy, Diet, Habitat, Behavior, Quaggas Extinction, Appearance and Behavior Facts for Kids, Why Are Pandas Endangered | Top Four Reasons. The blue morpho butterfly (morpho) is one of the nestropical subspecies of butterfly that occur in the Central America, Mexico, and South America. When it becomes a butterfly it can no longer chew, but drinks its food instead. When it is a caterpillar, the species chews on different species of leaves. Blue morph butterflies have developed blue-colored wings with some greenish shades on it that becomes visible when the light reflects on it wings. Size. Their main method of dining is through their probosces, or long mouth pieces, which they use like drinking straws to sip at their food. Two Blue Morpho butterflies show the bright color on their wings as they eat fruit from a feeder in the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House in Chesterfield on Feb. 4, 2021. Its iridescent wings are an area of interest in research because of its unique microstructure. Out of all the butterfly species that we display throughout the season, the blue morpho is the favorite of our guests. The Blue Morpho Butterfly lives high in the canopy of the rainforest. Blue morpho butterflies are some of the biggest butterflies in … The lifespan of blue morpho butterfly is only 115 days, of which majority time is spent eating and reproducing. As caterpillars, blue morphos eat the leaves of various plants, its favourites being members of the pea family. Morpho peleides Kollar, the blue morpho butterfly, also known as the peleides blue morpho or common blue morpho, is a brightly colored butterfly abundant in tropical environments in Central and South America (Figure 1). The structure of the proboscis is designed for morphos to be able to feed better from wet sources than dry ones. There is also the Eastern Tailed blue butterfly. The Blue Morpho butterfly is a tropical butterfly which is seen in South and Central America. Blue morphos, like many other kinds of insects, go through 4 mains stages during their life: egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis) and imago (adult). An adult blue morpho - like all butterflies - drinks its food rather than eats it. Blue morpho eggs are generally laid on the underside of leaves so the larvae have something to munch on as soon as they hatch. It is thought that the colour helps the males to mark their territories, and acts as a defence against predators.. These butterflies are covered in shimmering shades of blue on their upper … The larvae eat several species of leguminous plants, and each egg is laid singly on the underside of a leaf upon which the hatchlings will feed. When sampling fermented fruit, butterflies may become inebriated, allowing for easy capture. It is mostly endemic to South and Central America as well in Mexico. Blue morphs are thought to live in the primary forests of Atlantic and Amazon. See How Well The Spider Was Camouflaged in the Flower? They taste scents in the air with specialized sensors on the butterflies' legs and by the antennae on their heads. Blue morphos are highly territorial and they might not hesitate to chase down the rival. Blue Morphos live in South America in the Neotropic ecozone. T he Blue Morpho Butterfly will generally eat rotting or fermenting fruit using its probiscus. Cool! HabitatBlue Morpho Butterflies live in tropical rainforests from Mexico to South America. It can be seen flying in open areas such as paths, trails, forest edges, and rivers, and avoiding dense forest (Young 1973). This frog at Dow Gardens Butterfly House is enjoying a snack. Their wings are bright, iridescent blue with a black edge while the ventral surfaces are brown. It also produces a strong pungent smell which indeed serves as a defense against potential predators. Diet The blue morpho’s diet changes throughout each stage of its lifecycle. The morpho butterflies comprise many species of Neotropical butterfly under the genus Morpho.This genus includes more than 29 accepted species and 147 accepted subspecies, found mostly in South America, Mexico, and Central America. However blue color is always dominant. How to Take Care of a Pet That Has Eight Legs, Moths Facts | Anatomy, Diet, Habitat, Lifecycle, What Do Butterflies Eat? A professional writer and a passionate wildlife enthusiast, who is mostly found hooked to his laptop or in libraries researching about the wildlife. Blue Morpho Butterfly comes from the family of Nymphalidae. What does a Blue Morpho Butterfly Eat? PART OF WILD SKY MEDIA | FAMILY & PARENTING, Rainforest Alliance: Blue Morpho Butterfly. They have got hairs that are quite irritating to the human skin. Adult morphos spend most of their life in the understory, or lower shrubs and trees, of their forest homes. While in captivity they don’t seem to be successful because morphos have an irregular flight pattern and size. The morphos' diet changes drastically throughout their short lives. The flying butterfly reflects on brilliant blue to a dull brown plumage during flight. Due to its characteristic blue color, Morpho menelaus is considered valuable among collectors and was widely hunted in the 20th century. They drink the juices of rotting or fermenting fruit using their proboscis, a long mouth part which acts like a straw enabling them to suck up the sweet fluids. The blue morpho butterfly is found in central and south America, along with Mexico and Venezuela. But like all butterflies, adult morphos were plant-chomping caterpillars as youngsters. Favorite Foods While vegetarian caterpillars munch on pea plants, adult morphos prefer a variety of foods not limited to the juice of fermenting fruit, decomposing animals, tree sap, fungi and mud that contains rich nutrients, according to the Audubon Nature Institute website. Distinguished by the bright blue scales on the insides of their wings, morpho butterflies are natives of the rain forests of Mexico, Central America and South America. Morpho wingspans range from 7.5 cm (3.0 in) for M. rhodopteron to 20 cm (7.9 in) for M. hecuba, the imposing sunset morpho. As Blue Morphos have a lifespan of 115 days, they do not travel farther from Mexico to Peru. Theyve also been known to drink the juices of tree sap, fungi, decomposing animals and even wet mud. They make homes in several different habitats including dry deciduous woodlands (Nicaragua) as well as occupying secondary forests. According to the St. Louis Zoo, the reddish-brown caterpillars splotched with lime-green prefer the taste of plant leaves from the pea family. prezi and wikipedia. However the lifespan of an adult butterfly is about 15 – 20 days. There are little yellow patches on the back of caterpillars. Be Her Village. Only the Males Are Blue. But after transforming they quickly graduate to a more varied and interesting diet, despite the fact they can no longer chew. Are Spotted Tussock Caterpillars Poisonous? Morpho butterflies caterpillars have stinging hairs. Morpho butterflies feed on the juices of fermenting fruit with which they may also be lured. Where Does a Blue Morpho Butterfly Live? Instead they have scales that overlap, refracting light like a prism, coming off as blue! It got its name Morpho which means “changed” because of its ability to look like it is changing colors when in flight as well as on halt mode. Adult blue morpho butterflies are unable to ‘eat’, and can only drink. When the pupae have matured, they emerge from their chrysalises as adult morpho butterflies. Morphos will also feed on the bodily fluids of dead animals and on fungi. It uses its proboscis (long, protruding mouth part) to drink sap and fruit juices. Native to the rainforests of Mexico, Central America and South America, this bright blue butterfly has a short but stunning life. Shape The World. - Blue Morphos are some of the largest butterflies in the world, with a wingspan reaching up to 8 inches! These predators eat butterflies as butterfly eggs, caterpillars and adult butterflies. Morpho caterpillars molt five times before reaching the pupal stage, whereupon they form jade-green chrysalises that may respond with ultrasonic sounds when disturbed. The Blue Morpho Butterfly has no prey because it is a herbivore. Morphos will survive at elevations of about 1,400 m (4,600 ft) above sea level. It has characteristic beautiful blue wings. It truly lives up to its name as the color of its wings is primarily blue with some shades of green metallic. Reproduction. Their wings span anywhere from five to eight inches, and are a bright, iridescent blue due to microscopic scales that reflect light. As adult butterflies, morphos are no longer able to chew leaves, according to the Rainforest Alliance website. Nearly all morphos are diurnal, spend the day flying across rivers and forest streams. A Blue Morpho Butterfly can't fly or eat if their body temperature is below 82 degrees fah (28 cel). The iridescent wings are an area of interest because of the unique microstructure that allows such vibrancy. The blue morpho wing span can get to 7 inches. Whereas, when the species morphs into a butterfly, it sucks the juice from rotting fruit. The inebriated butterflies wobble in flight and are easy to catch. They take a fairly strong flight so much so that even the flying predators find it hard to catch them while flying. Whats more, Blue Morpho… Blue Mophos grow to be approximately 5 - 6 inches wide. They are attracted to nectar, rotting and fermenting fruits, fungi, tree sap, wet mud, even decomposing animals. Though their beauty is limited by a brief life cycle consisting of no more than 115 days, the butterflies spend most of their time eating and reproducing. Its wingspan is approximately 12 cm, and its dorsal forewings and hindwings are a bright, iridescent blue edged with black, while the ventral surfaces are brown. The Unique Structure & Adaptations of Caterpillars, Different Stages in the Metamorphosis of a Ladybug. Habitat. These butterflies have a wing span of one to one eighth of an inch, and one can see these butterflies feeding on wild strawberries. It follows different diets in various stages in its lifespan. In a bright sunny day, they give a stunning look especially when sunlight reflects at successive layers. As caterpillars, Blue Morphos start their lives feeding on various plants, particularly those of the pea family. The Blue Morpho is a frugivore. According to experts, blue morpho butterflies have almost become endangered, mostly due to loss of habitat owing to deforestation and other human interferences. They very easy to spot even amongst the jungle canopy thanks to their very bright and shiny light blue wings. Larvae show pale green color while caterpillars seem to possess reddish-brown bodies. 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. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Blue morpho caterpillars are especially fond of leaves in the pea family. The blue morpho’s diet changes throughout each stage of its lifecycle. The average lifespan of the blue morpho butterfly is 115 days. where do blue morpho butterflies live. The average time period of morph’s lifecycle is almost 4 months—from egg to death. Depends on the angle, the color seems slightly different from different view. The Menelaus blue morpho is one of thirty species of butterfly in the subfamily Morphinae. Morpho butterflies taste with sensors on their legs and taste-smell the air with their antennae. The Blue Morpho is a species of Latin American butterflies famous for the bright blue sheen on their wings. While vegetarian caterpillars munch on pea plants, adult morphos prefer a variety of foods not limited to the juice of fermenting fruit, decomposing animals, tree sap, fungi and mud that contains rich nutrients, according to the Audubon Nature Institute website. The morpho’s wing actively responds to any material surroundings and temperature change—the very behavior that protects them from any possible threats. Some morphs however show tawny orange to dark brown plumage while others are nearly all white. Like all caterpillars, morpho young feed on the leaves of plants. Crab Spider has Caught a Butterfly. Most predators leave the butterflies alone, as the adults are toxic, having obtained this protection from their plant diet as caterpillars. Morpho larvae will feed on many different plant species such as Sapindaceae, Rhamnaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Musaceae, Palmae, Menispermaceae, Myrtaceae, Moraceae, Lauraceae, Tiliaceae, Bignoniaceae, Menispermaceae, Leguminosae, Gramineae, Canellaceae, Guttiferae, and Erythroxylaceae. The Christmas tree-shape thus reduces the direction of the light when it casts upon on the wings. Outside the breeding season, morphos are solitary creatures. However, defore As a caterpillar, it chews leaves of many varieties, but prefers to dine on plants in the pea family. Body DescriptionBlue Morpho Butterflies are black and blue. Predators of blue morph butterflies include jacamars, frogs, royal, flycatchers, lizards, and birds. Rainforests are full of predators. The Blue Morpho Butterfly will generally eat rotting or fermenting fruit using its probiscus. The Blue Morpho butterfly, from the Lepidoptera order and the Nymphalidae family, live in the jungles of South and Central America. How big is a blue morpho butterfly? The caterpillars live in a communal web; they are mottled red and yellow, and their black heads are covered with irritating hairs. Blue Morpho butterflies eat much the same thing as other butterflies. Birds such as the flycatcher and jacamar are among the few that may still prey upon morpho butterflies. It is mostly endemic to South and Central America as well in Mexico. A Blue Morpho Butterfly is cold-blooded, which means the body temperature is not regulated on its own. The next question is, “Which plants host the caterpillars?” - They Live for only 2 to 3 Weeks :( - Blue Morpho caterpillars eat compounds that are poisonous, making them poisonous only if you eat one. Adaptations of the Blue Morpho Butterfly Species Predators of the blue morpho species in its natural habitat exist in plenty, and includes various species of birds, fish and some large insects which hunt them for food, as well as jaguar cubs who kill them for the sheer fun when they are in playful mood. The blue morph butterfly eats tree sap, nutrient-rich mud, decomposing animals as well as consumes fluids of fermenting fruits. The blue morpho is often one of the species featured in Sensational Butterflies, an exhibition of live insects in the Museum’s tropical butterfly house. FUN FACTS. Morpho butterflies have few natural predators, though their habitats are threatened by deforestation, according to the Rainforest Alliance. The ridges have a zig-zag pattern and it looks more like a Christmas tree. They can easily damage their beautiful wings. This butterfly is often featured in museums and zoos having butterfly houses or butterfly rainforests in the United States. Empower Her. 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