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The Living Encyclopedia
Explore our comprehensive database of reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates. Discover detailed care guides, morph varieties, and community setups.
invertebrate
Queen Alexandra's Birdwing
Ornithoptera alexandrae
Ornithoptera alexandrae, the Queen Alexandra's birdwing, is the largest species of butterfly in the world, with females reaching wingspans slightly in excess of 25 to 28 cm. This birdwing is restricted to the forests of the Oro Province in eastern Papua New Guinea.
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invertebrate
Glasswing Butterfly
Greta oto
Greta oto is a species of brush-footed butterfly and member of the subfamily Danainae, tribe Ithomiini, and subtribe Godyridina. It is known by the common name glasswing butterfly for its transparent wings, which allow it to camouflage without extensive coloration. In Spanish-speaking regions, it may also be referred to as espejitos, meaning "little mirrors" because of its transparent wings. The butterfly is mainly found in Central America and northern regions of South America, with sightings as far north as Texas and as far south as Chile. While its wings appear delicate, the butterfly is able to carry up to 40 times its own weight. In addition to its wing physiology, the butterfly is known for behaviors such as long migrations and lekking. Greta oto closely resembles Greta andromica.
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invertebrate
Owl Butterfly
Caligo memnon
The owl butterflies are species of the genus Caligo and are known for their large eyespots, which resemble owls' eyes. They are found in the rainforests and secondary forests of Mexico, Central and South America.
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invertebrate
Postman Butterfly
Heliconius melpomene
Heliconius melpomene, the postman butterfly, common postman or simply postman, is a brightly colored, geographically variable butterfly species found throughout Central and South America. It was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. Its coloration coevolved with another member of the genus, H. erato, as a warning to predators of its inedibility; this is an example of Müllerian mimicry. H. melpomene was one of the first butterfly species observed to forage for pollen, a behavior that is common in other insect groups but rare in butterflies. Because of the recent rapid evolutionary radiation of the genus Heliconius and overlapping of its habitat with other related species, H. melpomene has been the subject of extensive study on speciation and hybridization. These hybrids tend to have low fitness as they look different from the original species and no longer exhibit Müllerian mimicry.
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invertebrate
Zebra Longwing
Heliconius charithonia
Heliconius charithonia, the zebra longwing or zebra heliconian, is a species of butterfly belonging to the subfamily Heliconiinae of the family Nymphalidae. It was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1767 12th edition of Systema Naturae. The boldly striped black and white wing pattern is aposematic, warning off predators. It is the state butterfly of Florida.
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R
invertebrate
Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta
Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
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P
invertebrate
Peacock Butterfly
Aglais io
Peacocks are adult male peafowl, known for their iridescent plumage.
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C
invertebrate
Comma Butterfly
Polygonia c-album
Comma Butterfly (Polygonia c-album)
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invertebrate
Brimstone Butterfly
Gonepteryx rhamni
Gonepteryx is a genus of butterflies in the family Pieridae; there are about 15 species of Gonepteryx. They live in Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa. They are commonly known as brimstones for the bright yellow colour of the wings of most species. These share the same name as the much larger tropical genus Anteos. These inhabit much of central and South America and also North America. This species are known for being the kings of butterfly longevity. 10–13 months is the lifespan for many temperate species. Anteos, however, is much shorter lived. The adults will often mimic ivy leaves at rest. Male brimstone butterflies can withstand cooler temperatures and are able to fly after just 4 months in hibernation. Female brimstone butterflies need warmer climates to survive, and therefore are in hibernation longer. The male butterflies have a longer life span as they are more resilient to a wider range of temperatures, unlike the female.
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C
invertebrate
Common Blue Butterfly
Polyommatus icarus
Common Blue Butterfly (Polyommatus icarus)
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S
invertebrate
Spicebush Swallowtail
Papilio troilus
Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus)
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T
invertebrate
Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus
Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)
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B
invertebrate
Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes
Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)
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invertebrate
Giant Swallowtail
Papilio cresphontes
The eastern giant swallowtail is the largest butterfly in North America. It is abundant through many parts of eastern North America; populations from western North America and down into Panama are now considered to belong to a different species, Papilio rumiko. Though it is often valued in gardens for its striking appearance, its larval stage can be a serious pest to citrus farms, which has earned its caterpillars the names orange dog or orange puppy. The eastern giant swallowtail caterpillars possess remarkable camouflage from predators by closely resembling bird droppings. They use this, along with their osmeteria, to defend against predators such as wasps, flies, and vertebrates.
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P
invertebrate
Pipevine Swallowtail
Battus philenor
Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)
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G
invertebrate
Gulf Fritillary
Agraulis vanillae
Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)
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V
invertebrate
Viceroy Butterfly
Limenitis archippus
Viceroy Butterfly (Limenitis archippus)
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A
invertebrate
American Lady Butterfly
Vanessa virginiensis
American Lady Butterfly (Vanessa virginiensis)
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Q
invertebrate
Question Mark Butterfly
Polygonia interrogationis
Question Mark Butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis)
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W
invertebrate
White Admiral
Limenitis arthemis
White Admiral (Limenitis arthemis)
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