Guide to Tropical Butterflies & Moths

HAVE A BUTTERFLY QUESTION?

    At least 2000 free-flying tropical butterflies and moths are on exhibit at any given time in the tropical Conservatory. Our butterflies and moths originate in either Costa Rica or the Philippines. Most are sent to us weekly as pupae (also called chrysalides(butterflies) or cocoons(moths)) from butterfly farmers. Butterfly farming is a sustainable form of agriculture and ensures that natural populations of wild butterflies and moths are not depleted. At the Emergence Window, visitors can watch as butterflies emerge from their chrysalides, dry their wings and prepare for their very first flight into our Conservatory. Some butterfly species are reared onsite so that visitors can observe all four of the stages of metamorphosis: egg, caterpillar, pupa, and butterfly. Our population of butterflies and moths consists of approximately 40 different species. See below for more information on the butterflies and moths found at Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory, or visit our Facebook album Butterflies & Moths of the Conservatory!

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    Atlas Moth Attacus atlas

    Blue Morpho Morpho peleides (dorsal)

    Owl Butterfly Caligo sp. (dorsal)

    Monarch Danaus plexippus

    Blue Morpho Morpho peleides(ventral)

    Owl Butterfly Caligo sp. (ventral)

    Plain Tiger Danaus chrysippus

    Clipper Parthenos sylvia (brown)

    Great Eggfly Hypolimnas bolina (male)

    Golden Birdwing Troides rhadamantus

    Clipper Parthenos sylvia (blue form)

    Great Eggfly Hypolimnas bolina (female)

    Common Mime Chilasa clytia

    Rice Paper Idea leuconoe

    Wood Nymph Ideopsis juventa

    Velvet(Pink) Rose Atrophaneura kotzebuea

    Emerald Swallowtail Papilio palinurus

    Tailed Jay Graphium agamemnon

    Common Mormon Papilio polytes (male)

    Asian Swallowtail Papilio lowi

    Rumanzovia Swallowtail Papilio rumanzovia (male)

    Common Mormon Papilio polytes (female)

    Banded Mormon Papilio hipponous

    Rumanzovia Swallowtail Papilio rumanzovia (female)

    Tiger Longwing Heliconius hecale

    Silver-Spotted Flambeau Dione juno (dorsal)

    Gulf Fritillary Agraulis vanillae (dorsal)

    Tarricina Tithorea tarricina

    Silver-Spotted Flambeau Dione juno (ventral)

    Gulf Fritillary Agraulis vanillae (ventral)

    Isabella Eueides isabella

    Banded Orange Dryadula phaetusa

    Ismenius Tiger Heliconius Ismenius

    Hewitson’s Longwing Heliconius hewitsoni

    Julia Dryas iulia

    Zebra Longwing Heliconius charitonia

    Blue & White Heliconius cydno

    Doris Heliconius doris (blue form)

    Small Postman Heliconius erato

    Sapho Longwing Heliconius sapho

    Doris Heliconius doris (red form)

    Postman Heliconius melpomene

    Sara Heliconius sara

    Doris Heliconius doris (green form)

    Bamboo Page Philaethria dido

    Autumn Leaf Doleschallia bisaltide (dorsal)

    Red Lacewing Cethosia biblis (dorsal)

    Malachite Siproeta stelenes

    Autumn Leaf Doleschallia bisaltide

    Red Lacewing Cethosia biblis (ventral)

    Great Orange Tip Hebomoia glaucippe

    Rothschild Moth Rothschildia sp.

    Cattleheart Parides sp.

    Rusty-tipped Page Siproeta epaphus

    Banded Owl Caligo atreus

    Cracker Hamadryus sp.

    Lime Swallowtail Papilio demoleus