Broken Palp, Pt. 3 - _TNY_5884

A Peleides blue morpho (Morpho peleides) at the Haga Ocean butterfly house which has gotten one of its two labial palps damaged and hanging down. from its face.

 

I didn't see it happen and have no idea how serious an injury this is for a butterfly, but still not much fun seeing them hurt.

 

This is a (sort of) focus stack. Basically, in one shot, the compound eye was in better focus and in the other shot, the rest of the butterfly was sharper, so I blended in the sharp eye on top of the other photo in Photoshop - can you spot it if you zoom in?

 

Part 1 showing the entire butterfly here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/53136558981/

 

Part 2 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/53295196351/

 

For a short video showing the face of another one of these and how it can move the palps, please have a look here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/52897598321/

Done