The species is relatively new and was discovered only in 1906 by English naturalist and bird collector Albert Stewart Meek, in forests of New Guinea.
The species is relatively new and was discovered only in 1906 by English naturalist and bird collector Albert Stewart Meek, in forests of New Guinea. The Queen Alexandra's Birdwing is considered endangered by the IUCN[2], being restricted to approximately 100 square kilometres of coastal rainforest near Popondetta, Oro … The Richmond Birdwing Butterfly is now classed as vulnerable to extinction - and there are two reasons why. The Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing is the largest butterfly in the world and is known for their vibrant coloration. Vital numbers of the incredible Queen Alexandra's Birdwing are to be bred in captivity and released to cast their huge shadows in the tropical rainforests of Papua New Guinea. It was once abundant from Maryborough in southern Queensland to Grafton in northern New South Wales, breeding in rainforest habitat wherever the food plants were plentiful. Females of the species have wingspans measuring more than 10 inches (25.4 centimeters). Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing (O. alexandrae) is a giant species with blue-green males. What Do We Look Like? Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing can have a body length up to 8 cm (3.2″) and a wingspan up to 31 cm (14″). The butterfly is found in a very limited area in New Guinea in five local subspecies. insect safari has uploaded 1990 photos to Flickr. Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing, the largest butterfly in the world with a wingspan of 30cm—at least 10 times the size of common butterflies—was discovered in Papua New Guinea in 1906. Lo-and-behold… the largest butterfly, with a wingspan of 30 cm (1 foot), found exclusively on Planet Earth, is Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing (Ornithoptera alexandrae).The species was first discovered in 1906 in Papua New Guinea by the naturalist, Albert S. Meek, who chanced upon an individual on one of his walks in the rainforest. The males of these giant arthropods are much smaller in size than their female counterparts. The world’s largest butterfly – an endangered species – will be the first to benefit from a new conservation project in Papua New Guinea. The world’s largest butterfly – an endangered species – will be the first to benefit from a new conservation project in Papua New Guinea. Birdwings are butterflies in the swallowtail family, that belong to the genera Trogonoptera, Troides, and Ornithoptera.Most recent authorities recognise 36 species, however, this is debated, and some authorities include additional genera. This huge butterfly is on the US Endangered Species List. Much of this land was eagerly sought after for grazing and subtropical agriculture due to its rich soils. The Birdwing is the world's largest butterfly and it is found only in PNG and … The Queen Alexandra Bird Butterfly ( Ornithoptera alexandrae ) is a butterfly from the family of the Knight Butterfly (Papilionidae). Birdwings are named for their … Explore insect safari's photos on Flickr. Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing, described by Lord Walter Rothschild and named to honour the Queen consort Alexandra, the wife of Edward VII, is the biggest in size and possibly the most charismatic species of the birdwings. Many biologists (people who study living organisms) believe the Queen Alexandra's birdwing butterfly is the world's largest butterfly. The world's largest butterfly, the Queen Alexandra's Birdwing, has been given a new lifeline with a pioneering project led by the Sime Darby Foundation (SDF) and the recently created Swallowtail and Birdwing Butterfly Trust (SBBT). Meeks named the butterfly to honor Queen Alexandra, the Danish wife of King Edward VII of England (1841-1910). Photograph: Mark Stratton Photograph: Mark Stratton M … Albert was a (natural history) collector for Walter Rothschild, the man who eventually named the butterfly in 1907. This magnificent butterfly was discovered in the early 1900s by Alfred S. Meeks. The Queen Alexandra Birdwing Butterfly is the latest in the “Exploring Lepidoptera” series from the Vanderbilt Museum’s educators. Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing (Ornithoptera alexandrae), is the largest and arguably the most beautiful butterfly in the world. This species is also the second most poisonous butterfly in the world, though its poison can’t kill people. This jaw-dropiing butterfly belongs to the group of swallowtails known as "birdwing butterflies." ), males up to 20 cm (9 in.) They have 2 compound eyes, antennae, a proboscis, 6 legs, and wings covered with scales. It is only found in the forests of Papua New Guinea. Queen Alexandra's birdwing butterflies are already on the endangered species list, and rapidly losing their rainforest habitat. PORT MORESBY - Concern has been raised in Papua New Guinea and overseas about the disappearance of the Queen Alexandra Birdwing butterfly species in Oro Province. It’s called Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing Butterfly. This rare, tropical butterfly is from a lowland coastal rainforest in New Guinea. When the egg hatches, its meals (the leaves of this plant) are easily available. The Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing is highly endangered, and along with several other birdwing butterfly species, was placed on the Appendix I CITES list in 1977 (collecting or trading wild-caught CITES I species is prohibited by international agreement). There is evidence that the world’s largest Queen Alexandra Birdwing butterfly has been found in the Inaina area of Kairuku, Central Province. There are marked differences between the males and females in this species is as can be seen in the images below. Males, which are smaller, have wingspans of about 7 inches (17.8 centimeters). A monophagous species, Queen Alexandra’s birdwing (Ornithoptera alexandrae) feeds only from the vine species Aristolochia schlechteri. Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing, the largest butterfly in the world with a wingspan of 30cm—at least 10 times the size of common butterflies—was discovered in Papua New Guinea in 1906. The first one is habitat loss due to development. The species was named after Alexandra of Denmark. Goliath Birdwing is the second largest butterfly species in the world, next only to Queen Alexandra’s birdwing. The Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing is facing dwindling numbers due to the palm oil industry eating up its natural habitat, as well as logging and illegal trade. Our specimens were acquired before they were officially protected. More than a century later, one of the world’s rarest species has become the most endangered. So is there anything else you would like to know about this interesting insect? Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing Butterfly Facts At A Glance. 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