Striped Blue Crow

Identification - Euploea mulciber, Striped Blue Crow.

Oddly enough it is not striped, it is not blue and definitely not a crow. It is of course a butterfly, the top surface carries a blue tint and the female is striped.

This is quite a common family of butterflies of which the striped is just one of three species that I see. All have the glorious blue top side that is rarely seen other than in flight. When the butterfly lands, it parks its wings above, so a photo opportunity of the blue trim is very rare. In fact, any photo of these elusively shy butterflies is rare.

I have photographed the blue side a few times and hope to bring you one soon as these butterflies are quite dazzling in flight. They rarely leave the cover of large trees and so live in a gloomy world were an in-flight shot is quite out of the question. I am a smooth talker though and so I am sure I can persuade one to open wide.

Dave