Allow me to introduce to you, Helena!
This magnificent looking creature is Troides helena or Helena's birdwing... don't ask me why it is named so but it might interest you as a matter of fact, that many of these large butterflies were named after women of great stature Queen Alexandra's birdwing (Ornithoptera alexandrae) for example, or Queen Victoria's birdwing (Ornithoptera victorae) so I suppose it might be logical to assume that Helena, too, was named in reference to a lady of royal birth... Helen of Troy? Or... perhaps just some madly-in-love entomologist wishing to name a newly discovered species after his True Love. Either way, it is a rather befitting name for such a beautiful insect and although I missed filming her birth and the expansion of her wings - I recently discovered this video editing tool which will allow me to speed up the process so that all of you back home will get to watch her wings expand in 2 minutes instead of the customary 30 - I will still have the utmost enjoyment of releasing her tomorrow with Ray at the same forested spot where I released the Golden birdwing (Troides amphrysus) earlier this week as well as where I've spotted other individuals of her kind. Also, for releasing a butterfly into the wild, I get to make a wish (Native American legend has it that wishes have a higher chance of being granted if whispered into the ears *they really DO have ears, you know* - of a to-be-released butterfly)
 |
| Oh, and are we all loving the new haircut? I haven't had hair this short... or this uninventive since high school. I suspect my stylist Andrew was being lazy that day...but oh well, he DID promise me a dye job... I wonder what color I should go for this time round? What do you think? Hit me up. |
No comments:
Post a Comment