The butterflies that come from Paradise

Hey ya'll 

I was just browsing through some pictures of birdwing butterflies over the internet when I came upon these marvelous beauties! Arguably some of the largest and most beautiful of insects in the world, birdwing butterflies are a group of butterflies that belong to the family Papilionidae, which in turn is but one of about 6 families that categorize all rhopalocera (butterflies) species on the planet.  The average birdwing butterfly, with its large wing span and strong flight is already breath-taking in its own way, not in any least the males who possess brilliant tones to their wings. But this beauty is amplified only perhaps by the hybridization and variation which has taken place between some species to produce butterflies that are truly jewels of the natural world. 

Ornithoptera priamus priamus

Ornithoptera goliath procus f. jeromei

Ornithoptera priamus arruana

Ornithoptera paradisea detani f. jeromei

Ornithoptera victoriae 

Beautiful, aren't they? Now that's what I call a little slice of heaven... boy what I wouldn't give just to own a handful of these!!! Simply amazing.  Meanwhile, the holiday season is coming up and I am guessing everybody has their own plans with regards to spending it with the ones they love. I suppose this year is going to be different for me too, because this year (unlike previous ones) I actually have someone special whom I can look forward to spending the holidays with. How about the rest of you guys? I know this is really more of an insect blog and not really a place where I voice my feelings, but I am rather curious... what do you think could be the best way to spend Christmas and the New Year's Eve? Me and Ray, we're probably going to be attending a private party or something like that, maybe spend the night together as we look on at the end of one year only to welcome the arrival of the next. Probably not making any trips out or about the country this year (although I was rather hoping to be able to pick up some specimens from the North and from Singapore...) but I guess it's all the same when you're with the one you love. What about ya'll? Hit me up folks. 

Cheers!!!
Cyren