La morfo azul (Morpho menelaus) ye una especie de lepidópteru ditrisio de la familia Nymphalidae nativa de Centru y Suramérica.
Ye de color azul iridiscente y gran tamañu, con un valumbu alar de 15 centímetros. L'adultu bebe'l zusmiu de les frutes en descomposición cola so llarga Probóscide. Los machos adultos tienen colores más brillosos que les femes y ye una de les 3.000 especies topaes en Bolivia.[cita [ensin referencies]
El bárabu come plantes de nueche. Ye de color colorada-marrón con toques brillosos de verde o mariellu. Los bárabos son tamién bien propenses a ser caníbales.[cita [ensin referencies]
Les caparines, polo xeneral acostumen a tener diversos significaos en toles cultures, tales como vida, amor, renacencia, cambéu, etc. Les caparines morfo azul, por cuenta de el so color azul llétricu atribúyense-y una serie de simbolismos positivos.[1]
La morfo azul (Morpho menelaus) ye una especie de lepidópteru ditrisio de la familia Nymphalidae nativa de Centru y Suramérica.
Morpho menelausEl morfo blau (Morpho menelaus) és una espècie de lepidòpter ditrisi de la família Nymphalidae nativa de l'Amèrica Central i del Sud.
És de color blau iridescent i de dimensions grans, amb una envergadura alar de 15 centímetres. L'adult beu el suc de les fruites en descomposició amb la llarga espiritrompa, que és un tub que li permet xuclar. Els mascles tenen colors més brillants que les femelles.
La larva menja plantes de nit. És de color vermell-marró amb tocs brillants de verd o groc. Les larves són també molt caníbals.
A Wikimedia Commons hi ha contingut multimèdia relatiu a: Morpho menelausEl morfo blau (Morpho menelaus) és una espècie de lepidòpter ditrisi de la família Nymphalidae nativa de l'Amèrica Central i del Sud.
Морфа мэнэлай (Morpho menelaus) — матылёк зь сямейства німфалідаў (Nymphalidae) атраду лускакрылых.
Колер зіхоткіх яркіх з мэталічным бляскам крылаў да цёмна-сіняга. Сустракаюцца асобіны і з прамежкавай афарбоўкай — блакітная, цёмна-блакітная, сіняя.
Морфа мэнэлай (Morpho menelaus) — матылёк зь сямейства німфалідаў (Nymphalidae) атраду лускакрылых.
Колер зіхоткіх яркіх з мэталічным бляскам крылаў да цёмна-сіняга. Сустракаюцца асобіны і з прамежкавай афарбоўкай — блакітная, цёмна-блакітная, сіняя.
The Menelaus blue morpho (Morpho menelaus) is one of thirty species of butterfly in the subfamily Morphinae.[1] Its wingspan is approximately 12 cm, and its dorsal forewings and hindwings are a bright, iridescent blue edged with black, while the ventral surfaces are brown.[2] Its iridescent wings are an area of interest in research because of its unique microstructure.[3] Due to its characteristic blue color, Morpho menelaus is considered valuable among collectors and was widely hunted in the 20th century.[4]
This neotropical butterfly is found in Central and South America, including the Cerrado which is a vast tropical savanna in Brazil.[5] Other locations include Mexico[2] and Venezuela.[6] Ancestors of the Morpho menelaus butterfly may have been distributed in the Andean regions.[4] Morpho menelaus is one of the six species of Morpho in Costa Rica. The genus of Morpho is present in regions beginning in Mexico and throughout South America, except Chile. Moreover, the Morpho menelaus struggle to survive in the northern Pacific area of Costa Rica since they can’t tolerate such dry conditions. They also need habitats in old growth forests with proper differentiation between the understories and canopies (Murillo-Hiller & Canet, 2018).
There is great variation among the various species of Morpho. Two groups of Morpho butterflies, achilles and hecuba, are distinct in flight behavior and vertical forest distribution. This habitat stratification between the two forest levels may have led to the diversification of the Morpho butterflies.[4] Flight pattern behavior may also have led to changes in the wing shape to make it more suitable for gliding or flapping.[4] Phylogenetic studies suggest these are indicative of ancestral qualities.[1]
Morpho menelaus is part of the achilles subclade of Morpho.[1] Within this species, there are no differences between males and females regarding forewing length, aspect ratio and wing centroid measurement which may be indicative of morphological homogeneity.[1] Despite the popularity of the genus Morpho, there is not a general consensus on the number of species or on how these species are defined. For instance, some consider M. amanthonte a subspecies of Morpho melanus, but this is not supported by morphology.[4] Some older studies have identified 75 Morpho species, and newer studies recognize about 30 species.[4] Despite the many species of the Morpho butterfly displayed in collections, they usually have mismatched or missing abdomens which make it difficult for research.[4] Using combined studies of parsimony and Bayesian analyses, Morpho melanus is associated with the M. helenor, M. sulkowskyi and M. amonthonte clades.[4] The split of Morpho melanus from M. amonthonte is estimated to fall under the Pliocene era.[4]
Females inhabit the forest understory and perch on tree stumps, but are found near the tree tops when it is time to lay eggs.[1] Both sexes have a slow and floppy flight pattern and feed on rotting fruit that has dropped to the ground.[5] Males tend to fly in open clearings or high in the canopy.[7] These butterflies collectively emerge in the beginning and the end of the wet season in Cerrado.[5] They do not appear in the middle of the wet season because the heavy rain can cause physical harm to their wings. Their emergence depends on the availability of food which is dependent on climate.[5] For protection from the rain, Morpho menelaus prefers small and enclosed spaces.[5]
These butterflies lay their eggs one by one on the underside of host plants. The eggs are very small, are pale green in color and shaped like dew drops. The eggs are laid so that the caterpillars may feed as soon as they hatch.
These social caterpillars feed on Erythroxylum, Dalbergia, and Fabaceae, and may prefer to feed on new leaves of host plants since these new leaves are easier and more nutritious to eat.[5] The caterpillars are red-brown in color with bright green spots. They are covered with bristles that release an irritant upon contact. Conversely, the peak of the caterpillar is in the dry season, a climate that is unsuitable for most animal communities. These caterpillars will enter diapause or suspend development and can delay pupation in order to survive this harsh period and the lack of water.[5] As the dry season continues, the caterpillar population declines due to predation.[5]
One of the best predictors of adult butterfly occurrence is the observation of species in captivity interact with ripe fruit.[5] Adult emergence occurs primarily in the beginning of the wet season, when the climate and air humidity makes food resources plentiful and oviposition advantageous.[5] The butterfly spends 3 to 4 weeks as an adult, and the entire life cycle is about 115 days. Adults fly along rivers, or anywhere that open land has been revealed.[8]
Eyespots on wings are visual anti-predatory adaptations that have evolved in many species within Lepidoptera. The eyespots are usually dark circles surrounded by a brighter outer layer. The 'pupil' of the eye has a sparkle that mimics the natural reflection of the cornea. These eyes are thought to deflect a predator's attack away from more vital organs and toward that spot on the wings. Bigger eyespots have also been shown to deter predators from attacking completely. Menelaus specifically has an eyespot that is 6.8 mm in diameter on its ventral wings that it uses to help avoid predation.[9]
The wings of Morpho menelaus are a prime example of iridescent blue coloration in the insect world. The bright and iridescent colors of other butterflies are typically caused by optical interference, but the iridescent blue color of butterflies in the family Morphidae results from the microstructures of the wings. Scientists use SEM, scanning electronic microscope, and spectroscopy, to understand the wings in greater detail.
Each wing is covered in multi-layered scales, which are responsible for the coloration of the wings.[10] The wing colors vary with viewing angle, a phenomenon referred to as structural color.[2] In the female, the dorsal side is more camouflaged while the male presents with a vibrant blue.[10] In the male, the outer layer of the cover scales are long and narrow (250 μm × 50 μm), 2 μm apart, and parallel to the wing plane.[10] The dimensions of the cover scales in other species of the subfamily Morphinae vary greatly, but all are pigment-less and lowly iridescent. The inner layer, called ground scales, are pigmented, iridescent, do not overlap, and are responsible for the blue coloration. They consist of alternating layers of chitin and air, each having its own refractive indexes. The wings of the genus Morpho are noteworthy for their diversity of function, including being hydrophobic, lightweight, sturdy, thermally regulated, and bright blue iridescent. These unique characteristics originate from the photonic nanostructures in the ridges of the scales. There has been increasing interest in the bioengineering community into understanding the structural components of the wing which can have potential applications in creating structural-color devices and selective gas-sensors.[2]
Iridescence is the phenomenon when light interacts with a particular surface, and at differing angles of illumination and observation the color begins to gradually change. The Morpho Menelaus' characteristic iridescent wings has a unique wing structure. The ground scales are covered by a set of longitudinal ridges, and within the ridges are layers of lamella.[11] Because the size of the microstructure is the same as the wavelength of light, the layers in the wings react strongly with visible light.[2] The ground and cover scales have an observable "Christmas-tree" structure which is responsible for the diffraction or bending of light pattern of the wings which results in the characteristic iridescence blue color.[2]
Within the ground scales are layers of lamella. The upper lamina is closely marked with longitudinal ridges. The ridges themselves consist of individual lamellae (6–12) which overlap like shingles on a roof. The inter-spacings of the lamella layers is around 80 nm, but there are variations in the thickness of each lamella.[11] A network of netted trabeculae separates neighboring lamellae.[11]
A superhydrophobic surface is when water is dropped, a spherical ball forms and rolls off the surface. Any dirt or dust that is on the surface will be removed along with the water drop forming. The wings of Morpho menelaus have attracted potential research interest because of its self-cleaning property. The microstructure of the wing plays an important role in this unique feature.[12]
Morpho menelaus is unique because of its iridescent blue color and large wingspan.[4] They are one of the most familiar and recognizable neotropical insects. Over the past century, there has been an accumulation of these butterflies in both private and museum collections, and are considered highly valuable among collectors, artists, and designers for their beautiful coloration and are widely hunted or bred for decorative purposes.[4] Because of the popularity of collecting and rearing Morpho species for sale, there is a wide discrepancy in its taxonomic understanding among collectors.[13]
Murillo-Hiller, L.R., and Canet, N. (2018, March) Early Stages and Natural History of Morpho menelaus amathonte Deyrolle, 1860 and Morpho helenor marinita Butler, 1872 (Nymphalidae: Morphinae) from Costa Rica. Journal of the Lepidopterists Society. BioOne Complete. 72(1), 74-80. https://complete.bioone.org/about
The Menelaus blue morpho (Morpho menelaus) is one of thirty species of butterfly in the subfamily Morphinae. Its wingspan is approximately 12 cm, and its dorsal forewings and hindwings are a bright, iridescent blue edged with black, while the ventral surfaces are brown. Its iridescent wings are an area of interest in research because of its unique microstructure. Due to its characteristic blue color, Morpho menelaus is considered valuable among collectors and was widely hunted in the 20th century.
La mariposa morfo azul (Morpho menelaus) es una especie de lepidóptero ditrisio de la familia Nymphalidae nativa de Centro y Sudamérica.
Es de color azul iridiscente y gran tamaño, con una envergadura alar de 15 centímetros. El adulto bebe el jugo de las frutas en descomposición con su larga probóscide. Los machos adultos tienen colores más brillantes que las hembras y es una de las 3.000 especies halladas en Bolivia.[1]
La larva come plantas de noche. Es de color roja-marrón con toques brillantes de verde o amarillo. Las larvas son propensas a ser caníbales al igual que otros miembros del género.[2] Unas de las plantas hospederas de esta especies son Inga semialata o siquili y Ormosia spp. en el parque nacional Cotapata en Bolivia, sin embargo, se conoce que la mariposa es polífaga.[3]
Las mariposas, en general acostumbran a tener diversos significados en todas las culturas, tales como vida, amor, renacimiento, cambio, etc. Las mariposas morfo azul, debido a su color azul eléctrico se le atribuyen una serie de simbolismos positivos.[4]
La mariposa morfo azul (Morpho menelaus) es una especie de lepidóptero ditrisio de la familia Nymphalidae nativa de Centro y Sudamérica.
Morpho menelaus, le Morpho bleu, est une espèce d'insectes lépidoptères (papillons) qui appartient à la famille des nymphalidés, sous-famille des Morphinae, à la tribu des Morphini et au genre Morpho.
Morpho menelaus est un très grand papillon, d'une envergure d'environ 138 mm au bord externe des ailes antérieures concave avec le dessus des ailes de couleur bleu avec des reflets métalliques[1]. Le revers est marron avec une ligne de gros ocelles à la base de l'aire postdiscale.
Sa chenille est brune à taches jaunes.
Morpho (Grasseia) menelaus a été décrit par Carl von Linné en 1758 sous le nom initial de Papilio menelaus.
En Guyane, le Morpho bleu est appelé "Morpho commun" ou tout simplement "Morpho", car il est beaucoup plus répandu que d'autres espèces telle le Morpho Cypris. En anglais il se nomme Blue Morpho
Morpho menelaus (mâle) de Guyane
Pas de statut de protection particulier
La poste française a émis un timbre, d'une valeur de 0,58 euro, représentant le Morpho bleu en 2010.
Morpho menelaus, le Morpho bleu, est une espèce d'insectes lépidoptères (papillons) qui appartient à la famille des nymphalidés, sous-famille des Morphinae, à la tribu des Morphini et au genre Morpho.
Il morfo blu (Morpho menelaus, (Linnaeus, 1758)) è un lepidottero appartenente alla famiglia Nymphalidae, diffuso in America centrale e meridionale.
Il nome della farfalla deriva da Menelao, il re dell'antica Sparta.
Questa specie ha ali di un blu metallico iridescente; le femmine, al contrario dei maschi, hanno un'ampia fascia terminale nera, con macchie bianche. I maschi adulti hanno colori più vivaci.
Ha un'apertura alare di 15 cm.
La larva si nutre di piante durante la notte; essa è di color marrone-rosso con macchie giallo-verdi o gialle. Le larve sono anche fortemente cannibali.
La particolare colorazione blu di queste farfalle è dovuta alla particolare conformazione superficiale delle sue ali. Le ali di questo lepidottero sono infatti un esempio di materiale gerarchico, il quale attraverso una serie di interferenze create da una struttura frattale riesce a annullare tutte le lunghezze d’onda ad esclusione di quella che consideriamo blu. Questo fenomeno e comune anche ad altri animali ed è pressoché il solo caso in cui è possibile vedere il colore blu in natura, non essendovi pigmenti naturali di tale colore.
È una specie che vola molto velocemente.[1]
La farfalla adulta si nutre bevendo il succo da frutta marcia con la lunga spirotromba. La farfalla ha sensori tattili sulle zampe e percepisce le sostanze chimiche presenti nell'aria grazie alle antenne. Si ciba anche dei fluidi corporei di animali morti e di funghi; ciò la rende importante per la dispersione delle spore dei funghi.
Le farfalle del genere Morpho si trovano in Messico, in Brasile, Costa Rica, Panama e Venezuela. Esse dimorano nelle zone riparate della foresta e raramente nelle zone aperte.
Sono state riconosciute ventuno sottospecie:
Sono stati riportati tre sinonimi:
Il morfo blu (Morpho menelaus, (Linnaeus, 1758)) è un lepidottero appartenente alla famiglia Nymphalidae, diffuso in America centrale e meridionale.
Morpho menelaus is een vlinder uit de onderfamilie Satyrinae.
De blauwe kleur van de vlinder komt niet door pigment maar door de microscopische structuur van de vleugels en is dus een structurele kleur. De kleur verandert wat met de waarnemingshoek en de intensiteit neemt sterk toe bij opvallend licht. Dit wordt iriseren genoemd. De mannetjes zijn feller van kleur dan de vrouwtjes die ook een bruine rand met witte vlekken aan de voorvleugel hebben. De onderzijde van de vleugels is bruin met verschillende 'ogen'. De vlinder heeft een spanwijdte van tussen de 100 en 120 millimeter.
Deze vlindersoort komt voor in de regenwouden van Midden- en Zuid-Amerika.
De waardplant van de rupsen is Erythroxylum pilchrum waaraan in de nachtelijke uren wordt gepeuzeld. De volwassen vlinders drinken het sap van rottend fruit.
Morpho menelaus is een vlinder uit de onderfamilie Satyrinae.
Morpho menelaus – gatunek motyla z rodziny rusałkowatych
Rozpiętość skrzydeł 13-14 cm. Skrzydła mają metaliczny połysk, u samic okrążone czarnym pasem z kilkoma białymi kropkami, wykazują opalizację. Spód brązowy z pomarańczowymi oczkami. Czerwono-brązowa gąsienica. Bardzo szybki lot[potrzebny przypis].
Owad neotropikalny. Występuje od Kostaryki i Panamy przez Kolumbię, Boliwię, Wenezuelę i Brazylię po Peru, Ekwador, Gujanę, Surinam i Gujanę Francuską[1].
Wyróżnia się w jego obrębie podgatunki[1]:
Morpho menelaus – gatunek motyla z rodziny rusałkowatych
Rozpiętość skrzydeł 13-14 cm. Skrzydła mają metaliczny połysk, u samic okrążone czarnym pasem z kilkoma białymi kropkami, wykazują opalizację. Spód brązowy z pomarańczowymi oczkami. Czerwono-brązowa gąsienica. Bardzo szybki lot[potrzebny przypis].
Owad neotropikalny. Występuje od Kostaryki i Panamy przez Kolumbię, Boliwię, Wenezuelę i Brazylię po Peru, Ekwador, Gujanę, Surinam i Gujanę Francuską.
Wyróżnia się w jego obrębie podgatunki:
Morpho menelaus alexandrovna Druce, 1874 Morpho menelaus amathonte Deyrolle, 1860 Morpho menelaus argentiferus Fruhstorfer, 1913 Morpho menelaus assarpai Röber, 1903 Morpho menelaus coeruleus (Perry, 1810) Morpho menelaus didius Hopffer, 1874 Morpho menelaus eberti Weber, 1963 Morpho menelaus godarti Guérin-Méneville, 1844 Morpho menelaus julanthiscus Fruhstorfer, 1907 Morpho menelaus kesselringi Fischer, 1962 Morpho menelaus menelaus (Linnaeus, 1775) Morpho menelaus occidentalis C. & R. Felder, 1862 Morpho menelaus orinocensis Le Moult, 1925 Morpho menelaus terrestris Butler, 1866 Morpho menelaus verae Weber, 1951 Morpho menelaus zischkai Fischer, 1962Morpho menelaus é uma borboleta neotropical da família Nymphalidae, subfamília Satyrinae[2] e tribo Morphini,[1] descrita por Carolus Linnaeus em 1758 e nativa da Costa Rica, Panamá, Guianas, Venezuela, Colômbia, Equador, Peru, Bolívia e Brasil (Amazonas, Rondônia, Pará, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas,[5] Mato Grosso, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Paraná, e Rio Grande do Sul).[3] Visto por cima, o padrão básico da espécie (macho) apresenta asas de coloração azul iridescente com as pontas das asas anteriores de coloração enegrecida, por vezes apresentando duas pontuações brancas no ápice das asas anteriores e uma pequena linha de igual coloração no contorno localizado na frente do mesmo par de asas.[6][7] Vista por baixo, a borboleta possui asas de coloração castanho escura, com geralmente um número de sete ocelos em cada par (anterior e posterior) de asas (podendo ir de cinco,[8] seis[9][10] a dez ocelos[11]).[12][13] O dimorfismo sexual é acentuado, com as fêmeas maiores, menos frequentes e com asas contendo uma maior superfície enegrecida.[14] O zoólogo Eurico Santos cita os seguintes nomes vernáculos para esta espécie: "Praia-grande", "Corcovado" e "Azul-seda".[15] A lagarta de M. menelaus amathonte foi encontrada em planta do gênero Pterocarpus (Pterocarpus officinalis).[3] No Brasil, Otero a encontrou sobre planta do gênero Erythroxylum conhecida por "Arco-de-pipa" (Erythroxylum pulchrum).[16]
De acordo com Markku Savela esta espécie já foi descrita, dentro de seu gênero, com a denominação Morpho godartii, Morpho amathonte, Morpho alexandra, Morpho melanippe, Morpho alexandrovna, Morpho didius, Morpho melacheilus, Morpho nestira, Morpho paris, Morpho kruegeri, Morpho punicae, Morpho agamemnon, Morpho mattogrossensis, Morpho centralis e Morpho occidentalis; o que evidencia sua grande variação individual.[3]
Adrian Hoskins cita que a maioria das espécies de Morpho passa as manhãs patrulhando trilhas ao longo dos cursos de córregos e rios. Nas tardes quentes e ensolaradas, às vezes, podem ser encontradas absorvendo a umidade da areia, visitando seiva a correr de troncos ou alimentando-se de frutos em fermentação.[17]
M. menelaus possui dezoito subespécies:[3]
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(ajuda) Morpho menelaus é uma borboleta neotropical da família Nymphalidae, subfamília Satyrinae e tribo Morphini, descrita por Carolus Linnaeus em 1758 e nativa da Costa Rica, Panamá, Guianas, Venezuela, Colômbia, Equador, Peru, Bolívia e Brasil (Amazonas, Rondônia, Pará, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Mato Grosso, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Paraná, e Rio Grande do Sul). Visto por cima, o padrão básico da espécie (macho) apresenta asas de coloração azul iridescente com as pontas das asas anteriores de coloração enegrecida, por vezes apresentando duas pontuações brancas no ápice das asas anteriores e uma pequena linha de igual coloração no contorno localizado na frente do mesmo par de asas. Vista por baixo, a borboleta possui asas de coloração castanho escura, com geralmente um número de sete ocelos em cada par (anterior e posterior) de asas (podendo ir de cinco, seis a dez ocelos). O dimorfismo sexual é acentuado, com as fêmeas maiores, menos frequentes e com asas contendo uma maior superfície enegrecida. O zoólogo Eurico Santos cita os seguintes nomes vernáculos para esta espécie: "Praia-grande", "Corcovado" e "Azul-seda". A lagarta de M. menelaus amathonte foi encontrada em planta do gênero Pterocarpus (Pterocarpus officinalis). No Brasil, Otero a encontrou sobre planta do gênero Erythroxylum conhecida por "Arco-de-pipa" (Erythroxylum pulchrum).
De acordo com Markku Savela esta espécie já foi descrita, dentro de seu gênero, com a denominação Morpho godartii, Morpho amathonte, Morpho alexandra, Morpho melanippe, Morpho alexandrovna, Morpho didius, Morpho melacheilus, Morpho nestira, Morpho paris, Morpho kruegeri, Morpho punicae, Morpho agamemnon, Morpho mattogrossensis, Morpho centralis e Morpho occidentalis; o que evidencia sua grande variação individual.
Морфо менелай[1] (лат. Morpho menelaus) — вид бабочек рода Морфо из семейства Nymphalidae.
Бабочка была названа в 1758 году шведским учёным Карлом Линнеем как Papilio menelaus в честь греческой мифологического персонажа — Менелая, царя древней Спарты[2].
Цвет крыльев от синего до тёмно-синего с металлическим блеском. Встречаются экземпляры и с промежуточной окраской — голубой, тёмно-голубой. Размах крыльев 120[3] — 140 мм[4]. Самка крупнее самца. Окраска самки отличается от окраски самца: голубым цветом окрашены только внутренние участки крыльев, обрамлённые каймой почти чёрного цвета, на которой проходят две параллельные перевязи, состоящие из пятнышек светлого цвета[1][4].
Бабочка встречается в тропических лесах Бразилии, Гайаны, Колумбии, Эквадора и Венесуэлы. Обитает на опушках и лесных полянах почти круглый год[4].
Морфо менелай (лат. Morpho menelaus) — вид бабочек рода Морфо из семейства Nymphalidae.
大藍閃蝶(学名:Morpho menelaus)又名蓝摩尔福蝶,是蛱蝶科閃蝶属中最大的一个物种,是一种热带蝴蝶,生活在中美洲和南美洲,包括巴西,哥斯大黎加和委内瑞拉。它是巴西的国蝶。
大藍閃蝶蓝色的翅膀十分绚丽,长约15厘米(6英尺)。成年雌蝶的翅膀上表面呈蓝色,下表面与树叶十分相似,呈现斑驳的棕色,灰色,黑色或红色。幼虫的毛会引起人类皮肤的不适。
雌性色彩不及雄性鲜艳,雄性绚丽的颜色是为了恐吓那些试图闯入它的领地的敌人。雄性的翅膀能够在一个相当大的角度内反射明亮且富有变化的光线,以最大可能的提高它在热带雨林里的能见度。大藍閃蝶的色彩是一种防卫机制。这些蝴蝶在白天活动,有一种叫做“crypis”的能力[來源請求],指的是当它们在晚上睡觉时,会将自己的翅膀折叠起来,这使得在夜晚只能看见它们翅膀的下表面——这样就不易被肉食动物发现。它们还有一种叫做“flashing”的防御机制,他们翅膀的频率低,这使得它们能在绚丽翅膀升起并发光的短时间内隐藏到另一个地方, 这使得他们的天敌在大藍閃蝶利用翅膀的下表面隐藏到丛林里的枯叶的瞬间,只能看见一片蓝光,而失去了大藍閃蝶的踪迹。而大藍閃蝶翅膀的鲜艳颜色则源于它们翅膀鳞片不同于其他种类蝴蝶的特殊排列方式,光线在这些鳞片之间的干涉产生了变换多端的蓝色。大蓝闪蝶的生命周期长度约137天。成年的大蓝闪蝶只有1个月的生命。由于幼虫含有有毒化合物,大藍閃蝶鲜少有天敌。
大藍閃蝶的成长要经历四个完全不同的变态阶段:卵、幼虫、蛹及成虫四个阶段。其卵像是淡绿色的露珠;幼虫的棕红色背部和螫毛上有明亮的淡绿色斑块。幼虫在夜晚活动,如果受到威胁,它们会在前腿之间的臭腺会释放一种刺鼻的气味。它们是肉食性的。在成虫阶段,成虫用像吸管一样的喙吸食腐烂水果的汁液存活
大藍閃蝶栖息于中美洲和南美洲,如巴西,哥达加斯加和委内瑞拉等地都有分布。它们生活在森林里,但有时也会冒险地进入阳光明媚的空地以获得温暖。
由大藍閃蝶的翅膀的鳞片的特殊结构,使得他们的颜色在不同角度下显现出不同的颜色。这一特性被人们用于货币的防伪和信用卡。生活在巴西的黑人曾经探索过大藍閃蝶的栖息地,他们用蔚蓝的圈套引诱它们。收集来的蝴蝶翅膀用于制作舞会用的面具。现在,大藍閃蝶已被大量地商业饲养,它们彩虹般的翅膀被用于珠宝加工业和木工艺品的镶嵌。人们将其制成标本,为了防止大藍閃蝶腹部的油性物质将翅膀染色,在制成标本前,会将腹部移除,制成后用纸覆盖。大量蛹的活体标本从新热带区国家出口到世界各地的蝴蝶房用于展览。不幸的是,由于它们不对称的形体和大小,它们的翅膀极易被折断。