Butterflies of Peru help to save the Rainforest!

It may surprise you to learn that butterfly collecting actually helps the earth's ecology since it allows local people to raise butterflies to support their families, giving them an incentive to maintain the rainforests and jungles!

The life span of a butterfly is very short, compared to humans, usually just a week or two and mate immediately after emerging from their chrysalis. The female lay their eggs as quickly as possible on the plant preferred by the species - if those plants are kept available! By supporting these farming efforts the land can be kept profitable for the locals without the need to resort to deforestation or drastic industrialization!

From Egg to Chrysalis

There are four stages in the life of a butterfly; egg, pupa, Chrysalis and adult. Using the tiger swallowtail as an example, the egg starts out attached to a host plant this egg is easily identifiable as light green in color and fairly round in shape the size is a mere fraction of an inch. Next comes the young caterpillar where most growth actually takes place growing from tiny egg to almost approximately 2 inches while feeding off the leaves of its host plant. The chrysalis is much like a hibernation which could take several months, depending on the species, and takes on a still stick-like form. The final part of this metamorphosis is the butterfly evolving from the chrysalis and then the race is on to quickly reproduce, and possible migration, where the whole process begins again.

Tiger Swallowtail

There are so many different species of butterflies throughout the world, one of the most popular in the U.S. is the Tiger Swallowtail Papilio glaucus. Males and some females above and below are yellow with black tiger stripes across the wings and back borders spotted with yellow with long black tails on each hind wing. Females are often darker with spotting on their edges in blue, orange and yellow. Flight takes place from spring to autumn often in groups, feeding in broadleaf glades, gardens and orchards near rivers and roads.

To look these beautiful rainforest butterflies up close, please visit our collection of framed butterfly displays.