2010
TQ1877 : Owl butterfly in Kew glasshouse
taken 14 years ago, near to Kew, Richmond Upon Thames, England
Owl butterfly in Kew glasshouse
As part of its celebration of the International Year of Biodiversity, the Royal Botanical Gardens have a display "Butterflies, bugs and beasties" in the Princess of Wales Conservatory. It is to show how pollination works, and includes butterflies flying free in the glasshouse. This owl butterfly - genus Caligo, probably Caligo memnon - was in the tropical ferns section. They originate in rain forest from Mexico down to the Amazon basin. One of the eye markings is seen in the photo - they get their name because when their wings are open the two eye markings look like the eyes of an owl. They feed on rotten fruit - in the conservatory some were on fruit, some like this on leaves. They never fly more than a few metres.
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