National Geographic

CLEAR### SCALE### DARK### SCALEAUSTRALIAASIAPAPUANEWGUINEAEUROPEAFRICAASIAFemaleMaleMale FemaleMaleFemaleAPOLLOParnassius apolloQUEEN ALEXANDRA'S BIRDWINGOrnithoptera alexandraeSedum album GYNANDROMORPHSENSORSLEAFAristolochiadielsianaFlying raritiesA coveted half-male, half-female gynandromorphcan occur if a fertilized eggunevenly divides into thetwo cells that form each sideof a butterfly’s body.``````Microscopic scales scatterlight, creating iridescentcolors and patterns thatlikely help attract mates.``````The O. alexandrae is thelargest butterfly known toscientists—its wingspancan reach nearly 12 inches.``````Females lay eggs aftertapping leaves with theirforelegs, which have sensorsto detect their target plant.Varied wing patterns ledcollectors to wildly inflatethe number of subspecies.MONICA SERRANO, LAUREN E. JAMES, AND RYAN T. WILLIAMS, NGM STAFF. LORI PUMA. SOURCES: ED NEWCOMER, U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE; FABIEN CONDAMINE,CNRS; THOMAS TURNER, CARIBBEAN WILDLIFE PUBLICATIONS; BRENT KARNER, BIOQUIP; MARK COLLINS, SWALLOWTAIL AND BIRDWING BUTTERFLY TRUST; MARTIN FEATHER,FAIRCHILD TROPICAL BOTANIC GARDEN; RUDI VEROVNIK, UNIVERSITY OF LJUBLJANA