Wisley Butterflies 2016 Part One

Malachite, Siproeta stelenes.  Butterflies in the Glasshouse at RHS Wisley, 26 January 2016.

Time for a break from the rather drably coloured flies and harvestmen of the last couple of posts.  As usual, the Royal Horticultural Society gardens at Wisley released tropical butterflies into their hot glasshouse, and I took a few photos.  It's quite a spectacle.  If you go, you probably should get in early, or book a timed visit (free to RHS members).  I went in with a friend when the gardens opened at 10 am.

Some of the butterflies (like some of our native species) have underwings that are completely different from the upper patterns.  This Malachite is one; above, you can see one taking apple juice from one of the fruit stations set out along the paths.  Below, the upper view of a specimen resting on a white flower among green foliage.

Malachite, Siproeta stelenes.  Butterflies in the Glasshouse at RHS Wisley, 26 January 2016.

Here's another species that has even more of a double image.

Blue Morpho, Morpho peleides.  Butterflies in the Glasshouse at RHS Wisley, 26 January 2016.

The side view, with autumnal browns, yellows and reds, is very pleasing, but you can't see why it's called a Blue Morpho until it opens its wings.

Blue Morpho, Morpho peleides.  Butterflies in the Glasshouse at RHS Wisley, 26 January 2016.

That second specimen is resting on my friend's bag.  She put this and a couple of other shots on a post on her Facebook page.  (This is the same person whose blog is linked to at the top right of this blog, as "The Reluctant Raw Foodist." )  Maybe it was looking for food, or perhaps it thought the brightly patterned and strongly textured bag was a good place to rest.

I'll finish this post with an Owl and post some more next time.

Owl, Caligo memnon.  Butterflies in the Glasshouse at RHS Wisley, 26 January 2016.

Actually, two Owls, on a trunk which is a fairly good disguise for them.  I do not have a shot of the upper wing surface of an Owl - but if I google it, it seems to be very similar to the underwing.