(Blue) Morpho Butterfly Morpho peleides

One of several species of beautiful blue Morpho butterflies, all of which are large with iridescent blue wings on the topside and are native to South/Central America.

Blue Morpho species have a brown underside with false "eye-spots" to deter predators. The pattern of eyespots on the underside forewing are variable. Those on the left above look similar to those of banded morphos M. achilles or M. helenor (some experts class M. peleides as a subspecies of M. helenor).

Male and female are similar in appearance (and are attracted to light blue when mating). One of those above left has an aberrant underside forewing.

The iridescent blue varies with the light.

The beautiful iridescent blue fades with age, initially leading to a "banded" appearance which could be mistaken for a "Blue Banded Morpho" (separate species), Morpho achilles.

More of the variable eye-spots on the underside. Centre above shows Morpho having just emerged from chrysalis.