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Tuesday 14 April 2015

A-Z Challenge - Butterflies 'L'

L - Leopard Lacewing (Centhosia cyane)

This heleconline (long wing) butterfly is to be found in India, Southern China and Indochina.


Leopard Lacewing - male
The upperside is tawny, with its black forewing crossed by a broad white bar. A row of black dots, part of its defence mechanism, line the rear of the hind wing. The thorax is tawny brown.

Female Leopard Lacewing
The female has similar markings but the tawny colour of the male is replaced by pale greenish white and somewhat brownish on the upper fore wing.

The underside of this butterfly looks even more spectacular to me with its body white underneath,

Leopard Lacewing
Your guess is as good as mine as to whether it is male or female in this shot at the Butterfly Lodge at Oh Chin Huat farm in Singapore.

The Butterfly World at Preston Park in Eaglescliffe near my home has recently reopened after the winter. I shall have to check out whether they have a lacewing there.


Love is like a butterfly
As soft and gentle as a sigh
The multicolored moods of love are like its satin wings
Love makes your heart feel strange inside
It flutters like soft wings in flight
Love is like a butterfly, a rare and gentle thing

I feel it when you're with me
It happens when you kiss me
That rare and gentle feeling that I feel inside
Your touch is soft and gentle
Your kiss is warm and tender
Whenever I am with you I think of butterflies



Photo attributions:
  • Leopard Lacewing male: by Greg Hume - CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Leopard Lacewing female: by David Momaya, August 2006 at Jairampur, Arunchal Pradesh, India; upload 26 June 2007 - CC BY 2.5
  • Leopard Lacewing (underside): at Oh Chin Huat farm, 1 August 2012; upload by russavia; by Erwin Soo from Singapore - CC BY SA 2.0


6 comments:

Billy Blue Eyes said...

Beautiful colors they have

Kristin said...

The Leopard Lacewing reminds me of a Chinese Lantern. Beautiful.

STILLMAGNOLIA said...

Stopping by from A-Z...gorgeous butterfly. Thank you for sharing this post and picture. Loved it.

Jo said...

What pretty colours. I bet the last one is a male. Females always end up being duller I wonder why.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful butterfly! Great pictures. Thank you for sharing this.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Bob .. they are amazing butterflies - both male and female .. yet the underside is totally spectacular ..

Love the photos .. cheers Hilary