Through a lens darkly

By oojeyboojey

Flutter by

This slightly ragged-looking butterfly is a Graphium weiskei, also known as a Purple Spotted Swallowtail. The species is indigenous to Papua New Guinea and this individual was captively bred. I'm not 100% sure how to pronounce the Latin name, but I tend to make it rhyme with 'wise guy' and say it in a Brooklyn accent. (Because I like to imagine that the butterflies are really mobsters).

It's weird, buying dried butterflies online - they arrive in little individual triangles of waxed paper. I had to stick this one in a rehydration chamber and carefully pose it. If you look closely, you'll see the antenna was broken and glued back together!

If you want to see what I use these insects for, check out my research paper.

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