Wallace's golden birdwing facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wallace's golden birdwing |
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The Wallace's golden birdwing (Ornithoptera croesus) is a stunning butterfly found in the northern Maluku Islands in Indonesia. It's known for its bright colors, especially the males with their golden wings. This butterfly is part of a group called "birdwings" because of their large size and strong flight, similar to birds.
This special butterfly lives only in areas east of the Wallace Line. The caterpillars of this butterfly eat plants from the Pararistolochia genus.
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Discovering the Wallace's Golden Birdwing
The name "Wallace's golden birdwing" honors Alfred Russel Wallace. He was a famous naturalist who first described this butterfly in 1859. Wallace was so excited when he caught one! He wrote about it in his book, The Malay Archipelago.
Wallace described the moment he caught the butterfly. He said its beauty was amazing. He felt so much excitement that his heart beat fast. He even got a headache from how thrilled he was. It was a huge moment for him as a scientist.
The scientific name, Ornithoptera croesus, also has a story. "Croesus" comes from an ancient king of Lydia. He was known for being very rich. This name probably refers to the butterfly's beautiful, golden colors.
What Does This Butterfly Look Like?
Wallace's golden birdwings are truly beautiful. Males and females look quite different, which is common in many butterfly species.
Male Wallace's Golden Birdwing
The male butterfly has striking colors. Its upper wings are mostly black. They have a bright yellow band along the front edge. In the black area, there's a clear, oval-shaped patch. This patch is made of special scales that help the male attract a mate.
The underside of the male's wings is black. It has lines of green V-shapes. The back wings on top are yellow. On the underside, they are green, turning yellow near the front edge. The veins in the wings are black. There's also a row of black spots near the edge. The male's head and body are brown, but its belly is yellow.
Female Wallace's Golden Birdwing
Female Wallace's golden birdwings are larger than the males. Their wings are mostly brown. They have lines of yellow V-shapes across them. This difference in size and color between males and females is called sexual dimorphism.
Different Types of Wallace's Golden Birdwing
Within the species Ornithoptera croesus, there are several subspecies. These are like different versions of the same butterfly. They might have slight differences in color or size. Each subspecies usually lives in a specific area.
- Ornithoptera croesus croesus
- Ornithoptera croesus helios (found on Kasiruta Island)
- Ornithoptera croesus lydius (found on Halmahera, Ternate, Tidore, and Doi Islands)
- Ornithoptera croesus sananaensis (found on Bacan Island)
- Ornithoptera croesus toeantei (found on Morotai Island)
- Ornithoptera croesus wallaci (found on Mandioli Island)
Protecting This Butterfly
The Wallace's golden birdwing needs our help to survive. It was once considered "vulnerable," meaning it was at risk. Now, its status has changed to "Near Threatened." This means it could become vulnerable again if we don't protect it.
This butterfly is also listed in Appendix II of CITES. CITES is an international agreement that helps control trade in wild animals and plants. For this butterfly, it means that international trade is only allowed for butterflies raised in captivity. This helps protect wild populations from being over-collected.
