Unframed Poster: Morpho & White Butterflies

(Morpho peleides)

As its common name implies, the blue morpho butterfly’s wings are bright blue, edged with black. The blue morpho is among the largest butterflies in the world, with wings spanning from five to eight inches. Their vivid, iridescent blue coloring is a result of the microscopic scales on the backs of their wings, which reflect light. The underside of the morpho’s wings, on the other hand, is a dull brown color with many eye-spots, providing camouflage against predators such as birds and insects when its wings are closed. When the blue morpho flies, the contrasting bright blue and dull brown colors flash, making it look like the morpho is appearing and disappearing. The males’ wings are broader than those of the females and appear to be brighter in color.

There are butterflies everywhere in Costa Rica. Around 18% of the world’s species can be found in Costa Rica, as well as 90% of the species that are found in Central America.

I encountered blue morphos, gracefully wafting in the still, misty air while on a trek through the glorious Monteverde Cloud Forest in Costa Rica in 1995.

The blue morpho butterfly is undoubtably the most famous butterfly in Costa Rica. This exquisite butterfly is one of the largest in the world, with a wingspan of 20 cm (8″). The eye-catching blue color of the wings is actually an optical illusion, as their wings aren’t actually pigmented that color, but the scales are iridescent in sunlight. Only the males appear iridescent blue; the females are quite dull in comparison.

, (Pieris rapae) is native to European and Asian countries. It has spread throughout much of the world aided by worldwide transportation and the common use of their food crops.

Its introduction to New Zealand is thought to have occurred in 1929. Most likely, it was transported in imported cool-store vegetables. White butterfly pupae are able to enter diapause – a period during which their growth is suspended in response to adverse environmental conditions. Pupae in diapause could have survived for many months on vegetables transported in refrigerated ships.

White butterflies, whose caterpillars are notorious for their voracious feeding on cabbages in New Zealand is a pest, hated by garners across the country.

I, of course, as a nature-lover was drawn to the modest but elegant simplicity of their wings, with their delicate grey veins and prominent black spot on each upper wing.

“Within 2 years after the first recorded sighting of a white butterfly in Napier, it had spread up to 200km, moving to wherever brassica crops were planted. White butterflies crossed mountain ranges and dense forests on the wing and were helped to the South Island via vegetable shipments. By 1935, the white butterfly was well established throughout the country. The lack of natural enemies allowed the species’ numbers to explode. Parasitic wasps were introduced to eat the larvae and, along with predation by birds, ladybird beetles and the occasional spider, these now keep the numbers under control.” – sciencelearn.org.nz/

This is a digital painting done using a Wacom Intuos pressure sensitive graphics tablet, executed in Corel Painter

25% of all butterfly art and merchandise is donated to the Butterfly Conservatory of Costa Rica, a Nature Regeneration Project dedicated to the preservation, growth, and study of the rainforest, with a focus on butterflies and other tropical rainforest species of the Arenal region of Costa Rica.

Museum-quality posters made on thick matte paper. Add a wonderful accent to your room and office with these posters that are sure to brighten any environment.

• Paper thickness: 10.3 mil
• Paper weight: 189 g/m²
• Opacity: 94%
• ISO brightness: 104%
• Paper is sourced from Japan

This product is made especially for you as soon as you place an order, which is why it takes us a bit longer to deliver it to you. Making products on demand instead of in bulk helps reduce overproduction, so thank you for making thoughtful purchasing decisions!

Age restrictions: For adults
EU Warranty: 2 years
Other compliance information: Meets the small parts and magnetic flux index level requirements.

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