Emperor of Pearls, Pt. 2 - _TNY_5218
Here is a closeup on a rather striking leafwing butterfly drinking from a pineapple at the Haga Ocean butterfly house.
The species is known as the pearl emperor (Charaxes varanes) and other names include Karkloof emperor and pearl charaxes.
It didn't was to leave the pinapple chunk so I never got to photograph (or even see) the dorsal side of the wings which made identification difficult, but I got help from a friendly Redditor who recognised it. Hopefully I'l be able to snap a shot of the white and orange dorsal side later, though I read they really prefer to sit with their wings closed.
Part 1 (much closer) here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/53103166255/
Emperor of Pearls, Pt. 2 - _TNY_5218
Here is a closeup on a rather striking leafwing butterfly drinking from a pineapple at the Haga Ocean butterfly house.
The species is known as the pearl emperor (Charaxes varanes) and other names include Karkloof emperor and pearl charaxes.
It didn't was to leave the pinapple chunk so I never got to photograph (or even see) the dorsal side of the wings which made identification difficult, but I got help from a friendly Redditor who recognised it. Hopefully I'l be able to snap a shot of the white and orange dorsal side later, though I read they really prefer to sit with their wings closed.
Part 1 (much closer) here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/53103166255/