Ulysses Butterfly

butterfly · Australia · shimmering blue · swallowtail

Brilliant blue wings. The Ulysses butterfly has some of the most dazzling blue wings in the insect world, shimmering like jewels in the sunlight. This striking color helps it blend in with the tropical forest canopy where it lives.

Pretty large butterfly. With a wingspan of about 10.5 centimeters (4.1 inches), it's one of the biggest butterflies you'll find in Australia and the nearby Pacific islands. That's about as wide as your hand!

Island hopper. This butterfly lives across Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands, fluttering through rainforests and tropical areas where it's warm and green all year long.

Swallowtail family member. The Ulysses butterfly is part of the swallowtail family, named for the tail-like extensions on their hind wings that look like a swallow's forked tail.

Color from structure. The brilliant blue color isn't from pigment like in paints, but from the way light bounces off the butterfly's wing scales, creating the shimmering effect called iridescence.