Friday, February 4, 2011

Have you ever seen the REVERSE side of a Blue Morpho?



It's illustration friday. http://www.illustrationfriday.com/ And I have a really fun post to go along with today's illo. My pick today is an illustration from last Winter's fiction project. I wrote and illustrated a journal called, "There's an Iguana on my roof!" for Art House Co-op.


The Blue Morpho was an easy pick for today's theme. It has a brown moth like reverse side of the beautiful blue that we all know and love. Now for the interesting part of this post. Be sure to cruise down to see the complete life cycle (approximately 3-4 months) of this butterfly...
























































We visited the Blue Morpho hatchery at Chaa Creek in Belize earlier this month. The butterflies start out as a tiny opaque droplet on the underside of a jungle leaf. Then the photos take you on a journey as they grow to a cocoon. (They actually are quite toxic during their caterpillar stage) Then they magically pop out of their shell for a brief and beautiful life on earth. The photo of my husband is funny. The reverse side of the butterflies look like hat horns.

32 comments:

Darice said...

No, I haven't...and it is just beautiful! What a fun place to visit - and great photos. Thanks for sharing!

Bobo said...

Interesting post, beautiful illustration and photos, I'm impressed!

Indigene said...

Lovely post and beautiful illustration!

DJan said...

Gasp! It is so beautiful, and I had no idea what the other side looks like. The Hat Horns are truly funny, I'm glad you explained the picture. They are all wonderful and exquisite.

Pat Tillett said...

I have now! What a great post! Thanks for beautiful photos and the info!

Al said...

Ugh that was very informative Sharon, I like the last photo, cute!

Anonymous said...

Great photos - and your drawing is so beautiful ;-)

Anonymous said...

A beautiful set of images

roberta baird said...

Love your posts.... they are so interesting!!!
Thanks for the rhyming visit!!!

Ginger*:) said...

Beautiful post. I did see one of these in an unexpected place, the forests in Brazil. The blue was so amazingly bright that I wanted to follow the butterfly as far as I could in the forest. I lost the butterfly but did catch up with some leaf cutter ants as they carried a collection of leaves across my path.

Your photos are fantastic!

NightenGail said...

lovely! I've seen them at Butterfly World in FL, but that was years ago! Charming drawing and great photographs. Bugs rule!

Tweedles -- that's me said...

What a magical world. Thank you for sharing this with me Sharon. I love the beautys of mother earth, and I love the very last photo!
love
tweedles

Pia Drent said...

What a surprise! We have similar but opposing entries for this IF :) (and I had not seen yours until after I submitted mine!)
I actually find the reverse of these blue butterflies rather pretty... and your illustration too.

Martha said...

Very cool! Those blue butterflies are my favorite butterflies!

Hope all has been going well for you. Thanks for popping in to visit :-)

Serline said...

Like most butterflies, the beautiful adults make the creepiness of the caterpillars tolerable, if only the hairs on my neck would settle down ;-P

Linda Hensley said...

Such an interesting site, and the illustration is pretty too!

ruthi said...

quite interesting though it gave me goosebumps. thanks for sharing.

Wanda..... said...

Scary Little Squirmy Things do turn into Beautiful Blue Fluttery Beauties!

Marie said...

They are such pretty butterflies!

Historical sites with charmine said...

Just beautiful pictures,love the last one the most.Your hubby pic with those 'hat horns' is funny.

Sharon said...

I love your interpretation of the reverse topic, - and it is very informative! I didn't know there was another side to these butterflies. your illustration is beautiful :)

"Lillagul" said...

Love your post !
Great pictures and storyteling :)

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.