Malachite butterfly
The malachite is a big butterfly with black wings and patches of brilliant green, like pieces of a shiny green stone. Underneath, its wings are light brown and olive green. It is one of the most common butterflies in Central America.
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Fun facts
It is named after malachite, a bright green stone that looks like the colour of its wings.
Its caterpillar is black and spiky, with red markings and horns on its head.
The chrysalis is green with sharp golden spines that can poke animals that try to eat it.
People often confuse it with another green and black butterfly, but their wings have a different shape.
Most asked questions about Malachite butterfly
?Why is it called the malachite butterfly?
Because the bright green on its wings looks like malachite, a green stone.
?What does the malachite butterfly eat?
Flower nectar, rotting fruit, juice from dead animals and even bat poo.
?How big is a malachite butterfly?
Its wings are usually 8,5 to 10 centimetres across.
For bug experts
- Scientific name
- Siproeta stelenes
- Group
- Butterflies
- Family
- Nymphalidae
- Classification
- Insecta > Lepidoptera > Nymphalidae
- Lives on
- North America, South America
- Also known as
- Malachite
Where the facts come from
- Siproeta stelenes (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0): what it looks like, where it lives, what it eats, sizes and fun facts, retold in simple words.
- Picture by Anne Toal from US. CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons. The sticker of this bug is drawn from this picture.
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