New Colombian butterflies emerging

We have some little-known butterflies coming out this week including Chesterton's Longwing (Heliconius erato chestertoni), which has a stunning navy blue sheen and a thick yellow bar on the hindwing.  We also have some new forms of Heliconius cydno and the doris Longwings as well as a new species of Owl butterfly.  All these species come from Colombia.

Last night the butterfly house was featured on HTV Wales news.  They came into film the Ulysses Swallowtail and the rainbow stag beetle which was stuck on my finger for the whole morning. 

Ulysses has come!

The Ulysses Swallowtail (Papilio ulysses) is surely one of the most colourful butterflies on the planet. We have seven of them out and flying this week and they change the whole display. This swallowtail comes from Australia and Papua New Guinea.  For once the Blue Morpho takes second place in the attention and remarks of our visitors.  Ulysses has an even deeper blue sheen and is also distinguished by its spoon-shaped tails.

We have a shipment of 200 pupae coming in from Colombia tomorrow.  This will give some new species for us including a blue form of the small postman (H. erato chestertoni) and three new types of glasswings.  Also we have three Polyphemus silkmoths (Antheraea polyphemus) out and lovely male Luna moth just pumping up its wings as I left this evening.