transparent butterfly

Bodrum, Turkey(Zone 10a)

Just got this in an e-mail and thought I would post here.....Dont know if it has been posted before, I think these are gorgeous.

Transparent Butterfly (Absolutely gorgeous! )

It comes from Central America and is found from Mexico to Panama. It is quite common in its zone, but it not easy to find because of its transparent wings, which is a natural camouflage mechanism.


A butterfly with transparent wings is rare and beautiful. As delicate as finely blown glass, the presence of this rare tropical gem is used by rain forest ecologists as an indication of high habitat quality and its demise alerts them of ecological change. Rivaling the refined beauty of a stained glass window, the translucent wings of the Glasswing butterfly shimmer in the sunlight like polished panes of turquoise, orange, green, and red. All things beautiful do not have to be full of color to be noticed: in life that which is unnoticed has the most power.

Thumbnail by pebble
Whiteside County, IL(Zone 5a)

Cool! Here are more:

http://www.hemmy.net/2006/04/30/glasswing-butterfly/

Lutz, FL(Zone 9b)

Wow. Just...wow.

Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a)

They are cool looking. I love the long wings too.

Edinburg, TX

Those photos have been circling the forums for a while.

Just to let ya'll know a couple of sightings have been recorded in the USA.

South Texas has been blessed to have made new US records from clearwings that strayed over from Mexico a couple of years ago. There are photos on our local NABA South Texas Chapter website

http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabast/morgane.html

http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabast/cotytto.html

We are still waiting to see more and each fall season brings renewed hope!

~ Cat

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