*Morpho menelaus*
Wingspan: 12–15 cm
Family: Nymphalidae
Conservation: Not Evaluated
Flight Period: Year-round
Caterpillar Host Plants
Legumes, including *Machaerium* and *Pterocarpus* specie
Adult Nectar Plants
Rotting fruit, tree sap, fermenting juices, damp mud
The Blue Morpho is one of the most iconic tropical butterflies in the world. Found in the lowland rainforests of Central and South America, it is renowned for its brilliant metallic blue wings and swift, undulating flight. Adults feed on rotting fruits, tree sap, and moist soil, while the caterpillars rely on various legumes.
Life Cycle & Behavior
- Fast, erratic, and wave-like flight pattern.
- Adults are attracted to rotting fruit, tree sap, fermented juice, and damp ground.
- Larvae are reddish-brown with horn-like projections on the head.
- In tropical regions, the species can be found year-round.
Identification Tips
Bright metallic blue upperwings, brown underside with eyespots. Males are brighter blue; females are duller with dark edges. The blue color is structural, not from pigment.
Similar Species
*No similar species recorded yet.*
Related Species
* Other species in this family (to be linked manually).