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Menelaus Morpho
Morpho menelaus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumArthropoda (Arthropods)
- ClassInsecta (Insects)
- OrderLepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- FamilyNymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
- GenusMorpho (Morphos)
- SpeciesMorpho menelaus (Menelaus Morpho)
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
29 Verified sightings at Yasuní National Park From 2019 to 2026
35 In all 2 parks
January Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted
About the Menelaus Morpho
The Menelaus blue morpho (Morpho menelaus) is one of 30 species of butterfly in the subfamily Morphinae. Its wingspan is about 12 cm (4.7 in), and its dorsal forewings and hindwings are a bright, iridescent blue with black edges, while the ventral surfaces are brown. Its iridescent wings are an area of interest in research due to their unique nanostructure. Due to its characteristic blue color, Morpho menelaus is considered valuable among collectors and was widely hunted in the 20th century.
This neotropical butterfly is found in Central and South America, including the Cerrado which is a vast tropical savanna in Brazil. Other locations include Mexico and Venezuela. Ancestors of the Morpho menelaus butterfly may have been distributed in the Andean regions.
Morpho menelaus is one of the six species of Morpho in Costa Rica. The genus of Morpho is present in regions beginning in Mexico and throughout South America, except Chile. Moreover, the Morpho menelaus struggle to survive in the northern Pacific area of Costa Rica since they can’t tolerate such dry conditions. They also need habitats in old growth forests with proper differentiation between the understories and canopies... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Menelaus Morpho in Yasuní National Park
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yasuní National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 2 | Tambopata National Reserve | 🇵🇪 Peru |
Closest Relatives at Yasuní National Park
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing a Menelaus Morpho in Yasuní National Park?
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Menelaus Morpho sighting in Yasuní National Park on a given day, based on 29 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 22nd most-seen of the 203 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see a Menelaus Morpho in Yasuní National Park?
January
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Menelaus Morpho in Yasuní National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April and October, the lowest months.
What time of day is best to see a Menelaus Morpho?
Between 1 and 4 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Menelaus 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 Yasuní National Park the best place to see a Menelaus Morpho?
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Menelaus Morpho sightings, Yasuní National Park has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Tambopata National Reserve (Peru, about 10%).
Which relatives of the Menelaus Morpho live in Yasuní National Park?
Same genus: Morpho
The closest relatives of the Menelaus Morpho that you can see in Yasuní National Park (genus Morpho, Morphos) are Common Morpho (about 20%), Achilles Morpho (about 10%) and Scarce Morpho (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
Where does the Menelaus Morpho sighting chance come from?
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Menelaus Morpho is recorded against all the insects logged in Yasuní National Park (29 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
