Australian Glasswing Butterfly

The Australian Glasswing Butterfly Acraea andromacha is one of a group of tropical butterflies which have elongated forewings and rounded hindwings. They are often sparsely scaled which means they are transparent. This species is found in the eastern half of Australia, and the islands of New Guinea and New Caledonia, in lightly forested areas. The caterpillars eat the leaves of passionfruit vines (Australia has several native species).

 

Australian Glasswing Butterfly.

The fluttery flight style enhances the effect of insubstantiveness that the transparency gives. They are fairly easy to photograph though as they spend a lot of time just resting on bushes at about 2 metres above the ground.

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