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Rebeccas Butterfly Reflections

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Comet Moth!

First Friday of 2026 in the AMNH Butterfly Vivarium: The comet moth or Madagascan moon moth! The adult moth cannot feed and lives for only 4 to 5 days. The genus name Argema is Greek for “speckled eye” referencing the abundance of eyespots on their wings, warding off predators.


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The magnetic compass is the last unknown sense in migrating animals. For some scientists, the monarch butterfly is leading the way.

Every year, monarchs travel thousands of miles from Canada to the oyamel fir forests of Mexico. To navigate, they use a set of internal compasses. But the exact physiology has mystified scientists for decades: How does an insect wit...


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Bursa Copulatrix

The bursa copulatrix is a sac-like organ in female Lepidoptera in which the spermatophore is stored immediately after mating. It secretes enzymes that break the spermatophore down into nutrients used by the female.


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Great Eggfly, a female. From Southeast Asia. In the AMNH Butterfly Vivarium. Enhanced the blackness of the background using the ‘Black Point’ choice on the photo edit system of my classy iPhone!


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