Northern blue morpho (SciiFii)

The northern blue morpho (Morpho temperatus) is a species of butterfly belonging to the subfamily Morphinae of family Nymphalidae that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the rainforests, swamps, forests, open woodlands, grasslands, shrublands, and scrublands across North America to help boost biodiversity. The northern blue morpho has a wingspan reaching 150 millimetres (5.9 inches), making it one of the largest of Morpho species. The brilliant blue color in the northern blue morpho butterfly's wings is caused by the diffraction of the light from millions of tiny scales on its wings. It uses this to frighten away predators, by flashing its wings rapidly. The entire northern blue morpho butterfly life cycle, from egg to adult is only around 150 days. The adult northern blue morpho feeds on nectar of a variety of plant species, and the larvae feeds on many different kinds of leafy vegetation. The northern blue morpho larvae are occasional cannibals. These caterpillars are red brown with patches of bright green. The adult northern blue morpho also drinks the juices from rotting fruits for food. Its favorites in captivity are mango, orange, lemon, lime, blueberry, blackberry, grape, kiwi, and lychee. The conservation status of the northern blue morpho is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts, the northern blue morpho's wide range and its tolerance to many of the human activities.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii