Butterflies

Cairns Birdwing butterfly.

Cairns birdwing butterfly ©

This not so little girl was flying around my yard minding her own business when she landed next to me. It's a Cairns birdwing butterfly the largest Australian Butterfly measuring 15cm (5.9inches) across the wingspan. It's scientific name is Ornithoptera euphorion and is found on the tropical east coast of Australia from Mackay to Cooktown. I was in Townsville when I shot this one.

 Blue moon butterfly female.

Female Blue moon butterfly ©

Blue moon butterfly male.

Male Blue moon butterfly ©

These two were also in my garden at different times. The Blue Moon Butterfly is a species of dark butterflies that are found in 20 different subspecies in several countries. They get their name from the two bright blue circular patches on the male’s wings, resembling the full ‘blue moon’ in the dark sky. Their scientific name is Hypolimnas bolina and other common names are Great Eggfly, Common Eggfly.

Caper white butterfly. 

Caper White butterfly ©

The Caper White lives mainly west of the Great Dividing Range in Australia, even though this one was photographed in Townsville, Queenland, Australia on the east coast. Adult Caper White Butterflies are mostly white with black margins to their upper wings and yellow-orange, black and white underwings.

Photographs available for purchase at my store.