Completed
Common Morpho
Morpho helenor
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumArthropoda (Arthropods)
- ClassInsecta (Insects)
- OrderLepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- FamilyNymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
- GenusMorpho (Morphos)
- SpeciesMorpho helenor (Common Morpho)
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
14 Verified sightings at Rio de Janeiro
1,103 In all 37 parks From 2019 to 2026
May Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted
Completed
About the Common Morpho
Morpho helenor, also known as the Helenor blue morpho or common blue morpho, is a Neotropical butterfly found throughout Central and South America from Mexico to Argentina. It is a species group that may or may not be several species. Many subspecies have been described.
The larvae of subspecies Morpho helenor achillaena have been recorded as feeding on Genipa americana, Inga, Machaerium, Platymiscium, Wisteria, Trifolium, Arachis and Robinia. Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Common Morpho in Rio de Janeiro
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
Cities Where Found
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santos | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 2 | San José | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 3 | Caracas | 🇻🇪 Venezuela | |
| 4 | San Salvador | 🇸🇻 El Salvador | |
| 5 | Rio de Janeiro | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 6 | São Paulo | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 7 | Campinas | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 8 | Belo Horizonte | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 9 | Medellín | 🇨🇴 Colombia |
Closest Relatives at Rio de Janeiro
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing a Common Morpho in Rio de Janeiro?
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Common Morpho sighting in Rio de Janeiro on a given day, based on 14 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 61st most-seen of the 169 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see a Common Morpho in Rio de Janeiro?
March, May–July and October–January
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Common Morpho in Rio de Janeiro on a given day, against under 5% in February, April and August–September, the lowest months.
What time of day is best to see a Common Morpho?
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Common Morpho sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Is Rio de Janeiro the best place to see a Common Morpho?
Among the best
Of the 9 cities where we can rate Common Morpho sightings, Rio de Janeiro ranks 5th at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Santos (Brazil, about 10%), San José (Costa Rica, about 10%) and Caracas (Venezuela, about 10%).
Which relatives of the Common Morpho live in Rio de Janeiro?
Same family: Nymphalidae
The closest relatives of the Common Morpho that you can see in Rio de Janeiro (family Nymphalidae, Brush-footed Butterflies) are White Peacock (about 30%), Gulf Fritillary (about 10%) and Ruddy Daggerwing (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
Where does the Common Morpho sighting chance come from?
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Common Morpho is recorded against all the insects logged in Rio de Janeiro (14 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
