Morpho facts: a not so blue butterfly | Shoikat180

Morpho butterflies are commonly also known as blue morpho butterflies because many species appear in an iridescent blue. However, some species come in different colors and others even appear white. Plus, the "blue" in the morpho's wings isn't an actual pigment, it's light. Without light, these butterflies are more brown in color. And this blue only occurs on the upper surface of their wings, with the under surface - the surface typically seen as they don't often perch with their wings spread - appearing brown with eye spots to ward off predators. When these butterflies fly through the air, the difference in the upper and lower wings makes them look like they blink out of existence as their wings beat.

Scientific Name: Genus - Morpho
Range: Central and South America
Size: up to 8 inch (20cm) wingspan
Diet: larvae (caterpillars) eat leaves; adults drink fruit juice, mud, animal wastes, etc.
Lifespan: average time from egg to adult death is 115 days