Red Straw - _TNY_1384
A one-spotted prepona (Archaeoprepona demophon), also known as the banded king shoemaker, using that peculiar red probocis to eat (or drink really) at a feeding station at the Haga Ocean butterfly house.
Since this is in Solna, just north of Stockholm, Sweden, which is about as far north as southern Alaska, keeping enough tropical flowers going through the winter to feed butterflies isn't possible.
Instead they use plastic flowers sprayed with a sugary liquid which the butterflies can feed on.
This species has a gorgeous dorsal side of the wings in matte black with a very iridescent blue band on each wing, but they are very secretive about showing it. Hopefully, I'll manage to capture then in a shot on a future visit.
Red Straw - _TNY_1384
A one-spotted prepona (Archaeoprepona demophon), also known as the banded king shoemaker, using that peculiar red probocis to eat (or drink really) at a feeding station at the Haga Ocean butterfly house.
Since this is in Solna, just north of Stockholm, Sweden, which is about as far north as southern Alaska, keeping enough tropical flowers going through the winter to feed butterflies isn't possible.
Instead they use plastic flowers sprayed with a sugary liquid which the butterflies can feed on.
This species has a gorgeous dorsal side of the wings in matte black with a very iridescent blue band on each wing, but they are very secretive about showing it. Hopefully, I'll manage to capture then in a shot on a future visit.