“Flitting like a butterfly” is an expression we use everyday and naturally, putting into it the ease, speed, naturalness, grace of movements and actions of a person. The inhabitants of our country (at least in its central part) are used to the fact that butterflies do not reach large enough sizes and can easily fit in the palm of a person. Nevertheless, entomologists claim that on our planet there are now more than 110 thousand (according to other sources, even more than 140 thousand) of the most diverse species of these flying insects.

There are also real, if I may say so, "giants" among them, who are able to amaze even the most trained person with their size. In practice, they can compete with small birds in their anthropometric parameters. By the way, even in classical cases, modern scientists are not yet able to fully analyze and describe the process of formation of butterflies from caterpillars, including such large ones.

The largest butterflies in the world (Top 4)

Thysania agrippina

Among the largest specimens, without a doubt, one can single out the South American tropical owl - the largest butterfly in the world known to scientists. It is also commonly called Thysania Agrippina from the Latin version of Thysania agrippina. Back in 1934, the largest specimen of this insect species was caught. You will not believe it, but its wingspan was 308 mm. This event took place in Brazil. It is worth noting that after 63 years in 1997, but already in Peru, Tizania Agrippina was caught by scientists with almost identical wingspan parameters. At the same time, the length of the body of the insect itself can reach about 80 mm - this is a lot.

It is worth noting that this butterfly is actually a very rare species, even for its habitat (Mexico, some other regions of South America, especially its northern part). For this reason, the population of the South American tropical armyworm is under vigilant control and protection.

Most butterflies delight the human eye with their bright, unique and non-standard coloring. But this statement does not apply to the species considered above. Perhaps the only advantage in aesthetic terms is precisely the size. The color of the wings of the insect is quite faded and unattractive. Small brown spots are located on a grayish background. However, this does not prevent connoisseurs and nature lovers from enjoying Thysania agrippina.

Coscinocera Hercules

Peacock-eye Hercules, this is the name of the next large butterfly, which will be discussed below. This amazing creation of nature lives in distant Australia, as well as on nearby islands, such as New Guinea. The wingspan of this insect sometimes exceeds 280 mm. At the same time, females have the largest area (this parameter is also used in science) of wings, which can reach 263 cm2. Because of this, in fact, she got her name in honor of the mythical ancient hero.

As a rule, in the conditions of its natural habitat, the butterfly Coscinocera hercules feeds on such plants (at the stage of caterpillar development) as a brook tree and a late bird cherry. But, it should be noted that in captivity the caterpillars of this insect can perfectly adapt to other "ingredients" of their diet. So in our area you can grow Peacock-eye Hercules on a walnut, privet, even the well-known lilac or even willow.

In conclusion, it must be said that it is rather difficult to see such an unusual and rather rare butterfly for many reasons, among which, perhaps, it is worth highlighting one. This insect is exclusively nocturnal. As a result, it is almost impossible to see it (given its protective coloration) in the rainforest where it lives.

Ornithoptera alexandrae

Queen Alexandra's ornithopter, Queen Alexandra's birdwing, Queen Alexandra's birdwing, Ornithoptera alexandrae - this is what another representative of giant butterflies is called. The wingspan of the female sometimes reaches 280 mm, but in males this parameter is much smaller and rarely exceeds 200 mm. At the same time, males and females differ significantly in coloring. Representatives, so to speak, of the "weak half" are painted brown with splashes of cream ornament, while males have a blue and green tint to their wings.

An interesting story is the assignment of a scientific (so unusual) name to this species of butterflies. It is known that the first European who was able to detect this insect was a certain Albert Stuart Meek in 1906. But just a year later, the butterfly collector, the famous Walter Rothschild, gave the scientific name Ornithoptera alexandrae in honor of the wife of the King of Great Britain, who at that time was King Edward VII.

Another interesting fact associated with these unusual insects is that they have a very limited range of promise. They can be found in their natural environment only in the region of the Popondetta Mountains, which are located in Popua New Guinea. As a result, Ornithoptera alexandrae is a very rare insect species highly valued by all butterfly collectors.

Attacus atlas

Another representative of giant butterflies is Attacus atlas, which has a very large habitat, unlike previous specimens. It is distributed almost throughout Southeast Asia - from Java to Borneo, and from Indonesia to Thailand. The wingspan of females (and they are also largely larger than males) can reach up to 260 mm. It is worth noting that this butterfly is not only giants in its form, but also very beautiful. They come in reds, browns, creams, yellows and pinks.

And in conclusion, people actively use this type of insect for their own purposes. In particular, a silk thread is obtained, which is secreted by the caterpillar Attacus atlas. Silk fabrics from this thread are of very high quality. In addition, original wallets are often made from cocoons, and they can reach 100 mm.

Papua New Guinea

Description

The pride of the eastern tropics - Queen Alexandra's Ornithopter! We take off our hats, gentlemen, before such a big beauty! It's time for us to get acquainted with the largest butterfly in the world: the female Ornithoptera Queen Alexandra is considered the largest diurnal butterfly with a wingspan of up to 30 cm. But note that this is only a female! Here is how the famous naturalist and traveler Alfred Russel Wallace described the meeting with this "royalty": "During the first walk through the forest, I saw a huge dark-colored butterfly with white and yellow spots sitting on the greenery out of reach. I could not take it, because she immediately flew up to the crowns of trees, but I noticed that it was a female with huge wings, like a bird!... The next day I went to the same bushes again... and found one of the most magnificent colored butterflies in world. The wingspan of the male is over seven inches (about 15 cm), velvety black and fiery orange combined with a bright green color. The beauty and brilliance of this insect is indescribable, and none but a naturalist can understand the intense excitement that I then experienced...
The behavior of these royal butterflies is amazing: males “patrol” their territory of the forest every morning and often engage in air battles with competitors, they can even drive away small birds. When the male discovers the female, he hovers over her for some time, releasing pheromones so that she feels his presence and mating begins. After mating, the female incubates the eggs for 2-3 days. Then he lays eggs. After that, females and males fly in the morning and evening. Butterflies feed on the nectar of hibiscus and other large flowers that can support their weight, by the way, a butterfly weighs about 12 grams. However, during the collection of nectar, butterflies constantly flutter their wings, supporting themselves in the air by weight. And finally, the most important thing: this type of Ornithopter is considered the rarest species and is found only in a tiny area - the Popondetta Valley in Papua New Guinea. And this species was discovered in 1907 by Rothschild. download

Abstract on the topic:

Queen Alexandra's Birdwing

Plan:

Introduction

• 1 Spreading
• 2 Description
• 3 Breeding
• 4 Security Notes
Notes

Introduction

Queen Alexandra's Birdwing or Queen Alexandra's birdwing or Queen Alexandra's ornithopter(Ornithoptera alexandrae Rothschild, 1907) - the largest diurnal butterfly in the world, belongs to the family of sailboats ( Papilionidae).

The first European to discover this type of butterfly in 1906 was collector Albert Stuart Meek. In 1907, the banker and butterfly collector Lord Walter Rothschild named the species in honor of Queen Alexandra, wife of King Edward VII of Great Britain.

1. Distribution

The butterfly is found in a limited range - in the tropical rainforests of Papua New Guinea in the region of the Popondetta mountains. View belongs to the category endangered(endangered taxon) according to the IUCN classification. The eruption of the Lamington volcano in 1951 destroyed about 250 km² of the natural habitat of this butterfly species, which is the main reason for their rare distribution. Also, due to a sharp decline in the number of butterflies of this species due to deforestation under the CITES agreement, the species Ornithoptera alexandrae was included in the list of prohibited animals for trapping.

2. Description

Close copy is male, far copy is female

Alexandra's birdwing females are larger than males, their rounded wingspan reaches 28 cm. The length of the abdomen is 8 cm, weight - up to 12 grams. The color of the wings and abdomen is dark brown with white, cream and yellow ornaments. Males are smaller than females, their wingspan is up to 20 cm. Sexual dimorphism is pronounced - males look very different from females, their wings are narrower, painted in blue and green.

3. Reproduction

The development cycle of a butterfly lasts four months. An adult lives for three months. Forage plants of caterpillars - Diels aristolochia ( Aristolochia dielsiana) and Schechter's aristolochia ( Aristolochia schlechteri) . Caterpillars grow up to 12 cm long and 3 cm thick.

4. Security notes

It is listed in the list of Lepidoptera, the export, re-export and import of which is regulated in accordance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Notes

1. 1 2 3 4 L. V. Kaabak, A. V. Sochivko Butterflies of the world / G. Wilchek. - Moscow: Avanta +, 2003. - S. 86. - 184 p. - (The most beautiful and famous). - 10,000 copies. - ISBN 5-94623-008-5, ISBN 5-98986-071-4
2. 1 2 3 V. Landman Butterflies. Illustrated encyclopedia / scientific. reviewer Divakova S. V. - Moscow: Labyrinth Press, 2002. - S. 71. - 272 p. - (Illustrated Encyclopedia). - ISBN 5-9287-0274-4
3. Kravchuk P. A. Nature records. - L.: Erudit, 1993. - 216 p. - 60,000 copies. - ISBN 5-7707-2044-1
4. Ornithoptera alexandrae- www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/15513/: information on the IUCN Red List website (eng.)
5. N. Mark Collins, Michael G. Morris Threatened Swallowtail Butterflies of the World: The IUCN Red Data Book - books.google.co.uk/books?id=RomV7uO_t9YC&pg=PA288&vq=Ornithoptera alexandrae&dq=Ornithoptera alexandrae&lr=&as_brr=3&hl=ru&source=gbs_search_s&sig=R14iNU6hDDBWQgDqg - IUCN, 1985. - P. 288. - 401 p. - ISBN 2880326036

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This abstract is based on an article from the Russian Wikipedia. Synchronization completed on 07/11/11 13:36:58
Similar abstracts:

Birdwing of Queen Alexandra

The male birdwing of Queen Alexandra can be called the king of butterflies. Its huge wings with a span of 170-200 mm shine with green and blue colors. Narrower wings than other birdwings, similar to the leaves of a tropical plant.

The female is significantly different from the male. It is much larger: its huge wingspan reaches 280 mm - this is more than any other diurnal butterfly. But in brightness and beauty, she is inferior to the male: on her wide dark brown wings there is a light ornament of cream and yellowish “strokes” of various shapes. The peculiar pattern of the underside of the wings with a contrasting wide darkening along the veins makes it possible to immediately distinguish the female Queen Alexandra birdwing from other species of birdwings.
The caterpillar of this species of butterflies is velvety black with a longitudinal cream stripe and reaches a length of 12 cm, and the pupa is 9 cm (with a diameter of 8 cm). The Queen Alexandra birdwing caterpillar, like other ornithopters, feeds on the leaves of various types of aristolochia vines, therefore these butterflies are sometimes called aristolochia birdwings. Butterflies live for about three months. This ornithopter has few natural enemies. A much greater threat to the species is the deforestation and plantation of coconut palms, cocoa and rubber trees, replacing their natural habitats.

The habitat is limited: separate areas of tropical rainforests in the Popondetta Valley (Papua New Guinea). Only there is Diels's kirkazon found - the only plant from the kirkazon family, on which Alexandra females lay their eggs. Previously, the wonderful birdwing was also found in the mountains - in the northern part of the Owen Stanley Range. In choosing a plant for laying eggs, the butterfly is extremely picky, while the caterpillars are not so picky. Studies have shown that they can also feed on the leaves of other kirkazon plants. The full development cycle from egg to butterfly takes more than four months.

Birdwing of Queen Alexandra.
Kingdom: animals (Animalia).
Type: arthropods (Arthropoda).
Class: insects (Insecta).
Order: Lepidoptera.
Family: sailboats (Papilionidae).
Genus: ornithopter (Ornithoptera).
Species: Queen Alexandra's Birdwing (Ornithoptera alexandrae).
Translated from the ancient Greek "ornithopter" means "bird wing". The butterfly got its name in 1907 thanks to Lord Walter Rothschild. He named her so in honor of the wife of Edward VII Alexandra of Denmark, the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, as well as the Empress of India.
habitats
Currently, the species lives in a strictly limited range in the southeast of Papua New Guinea. It is found at an altitude of 155 m above sea level in coastal lowland forests and small gorges along the rivers of the province of Oro near the Popondetta valley. The butterfly prefers to spend most of its life in crowns and on the tops of trees, occasionally descending to the ground. Previously, the birdwing was found even in the mountains - in the northern part of the Owen Stanley Range. It was there that in January 1906, at an altitude of about 1700 m above sea level, Albert Stuart Meek, an assistant to the banker and entomologist Walter Rothschild, first caught a female of this species.
Appearance
The bird wing, or ornithopter, of Queen Alexandra is the largest diurnal butterfly on earth. Sexual dimorphism is extremely pronounced - sometimes it is difficult to believe that the female and male belong to the same species. Females are large: with a body length of 8 cm, the span of their rounded wings reaches 28 cm. The wings and abdomen are painted in dark brown tones with white, cream or yellow splashes. The underside of the wings has an original pattern with contrasting wide darkening along the veins - it is this pattern that makes it possible to distinguish the female of this species from other ornithopter species. The weight of a butterfly can reach 12 g. Males are smaller than females. Their wings, with the finest blue and green hues, are lined with black lines. Similar to antique brocade and narrower than other ornithopters, they resemble the petals of an exotic tropical flower. The span reaches 17–20 cm.
Lifestyle and biology
The development cycle of a butterfly lasts four months. An adult lives no more than three months. Throughout their life, females lay 27 bright blue eggs, from which caterpillars then emerge. They have a velvety black color and a longitudinal creamy stripe, reach 12 cm in length. They feed first on the shell of their own egg, and then on the leaves of various types of aristolochia vines (Aristolochia spp.), which contain poisonous acids that are fatal to vertebrates. By accumulating these substances, the caterpillar acquires an unpleasant taste for birds and many other predators, which allows it to protect itself. The butterfly pupa is golden yellow or reddish brown with black spots. Its length is 9 cm, thickness is about 3 cm. It takes about six weeks from the egg stage to the formation of the pupa, the transformation of the pupa into an adult takes about a month or even more. An adult butterfly usually appears at dawn, when the air humidity is even greater. Before the sun rises high and becomes much hotter and drier, the insect has time to fully spread its wings. Adults feed mainly on large flowers, such as hibiscus. They fly well and are most active early in the morning or at dusk.
Listed in the Red Book
Previously, Queen Alexandra's bird-wing lived in almost the entire eastern part of the island of New Guinea. The reason for the rare distribution of the species was a sharp reduction in the natural habitat. In 1951, the eruption of the Lamington volcano destroyed about 250 km2 of the main habitat of this amazing butterfly, which significantly affected its population. The clearing of tropical rainforests to create oil palm plantations has also had a negative impact.
A law passed in Papua New Guinea in the 1970s to protect the animal world prevented the complete extinction of the insect, but could not stop poaching. Queen Alexandra's birdwing, due to its great rarity, is still highly valued by collectors and is worth a lot of money on the black market.