Released 2009-10-03

Common Morpho Butterfly, Morpho peleides

The Blue Morpho butterfly, which calls tropical Central and South America home, is proof that Mother Nature is a fan both of brilliance and deception. The tops of the five- to eight-inch wings on this spectacular butterfly are covered in tiny scales which reflect blue light, causing the Morpho to shimmer and shine with the slightest movement of its wings. The undersides of those same wings, however, are a drab brown, usually with a number of eyespots. This allows the Morpho to rest camouflaged, wings folded up. When the Morpho flies, the brilliant blue alternates with the drab brown as the wings move up and down, confusing potential predators as to what exactly they are seeing.

This is a limited edition photograph with a total of 1000 photos printed across all sizes, as noted