Lycaena phlaeas The Small Copper is a small, beautiful butterfly, found in the Holarctic. It is widespread and common across Europe, Asia, North America, and also found in North Africa south through to Ethiopia. Males set up territories and will defend the area tenaciously against any other males and even other, flying insects. They will... Continue Reading →
Painted Lady. Photographed in Malta. A nectar delightPreparing for a long flightIn the evening light. Haiku 423.
Southern Common Blue. Photographed in Malta. Iridescent bluesJewels of the micro worldFlapping tiny wings. Haiku 420.
Butterflies. Beautiful, fascinating insects. They adorn our gardens, our countryside, our environment. Insects with beautiful colours, formed by intricate, scales on delicate wings. Some have intricate, patterns. Some have mimetic colours. This is especially so, on the underwings, to help them camouflage against their background environment, when they alight and close their wings. Some species,... Continue Reading →
Small Tortoiseshell. Photographed in Estonia. From a dark larvaeTo a time as chrysalis Then beauty released. Haiku 409.
Hewitson's Bushbrown.Photographed in Papua New Guinea. Damp and humid leavesIn the midst of a forestHumble butterfly. Haiku 404.
Ornithoptera victoriae Birdwing butterflies are a group of butterflies, belonging to the family Papilionidae, which also includes swallowtails. They are very large, beautiful species, including the largest butterfly in the world, Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing, (Ornithoptera alexandrae). Females belonging to this species may reach a wingspan of upto 28cm. Female Birdwing butterflies tend to be larger than the... Continue Reading →
Thecla betulae The Brown Hairstreak is distributed in most of the Palearctic. There are six recognized subspecies. It prefers habitats such as hedges, scrub, and wood edges with large prominent trees. It is a very peculiar butterfly, as it spends most of the time high in the tree canopy, especially at the tops of prime... Continue Reading →
Alcides agathyrsus. Photographed in Papua New Guinea. A beautiful mothSheltering under green leavesFrom heavy downpour. Haiku 387.
Danaus chrysippus The African Monarch also called, Plain Tiger and African Queen, is a widespread species found in Asia, Australia and Africa. It is a regular migrant to Southern Europe, including the Maltese Islands, and is doing so, in ever increasing numbers. Like many of the species in this subfamily, Danainae, the caterpillars feed on... Continue Reading →
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