I don't think a butterfly ever lost its way and get into our house before.
But it did happen one fine night.
head up
head up
head down
i thought it sensed who was disturbing its sleep.
They eyes explain everything, curiosity and anger.
It refused to get out even with encouragement. The next morning I saw it hanging on the other wall . It was much later in the day, that I managed to take it out by persuading it to hold to a piece of paper. I took it out and set it free. The poor thing fluttered and fell, then it crawled to the outside wall and hanged on there. I just let it be. The next morning, the poor thing sprawled on all six legs, dead.
It refused to get out even with encouragement. The next morning I saw it hanging on the other wall . It was much later in the day, that I managed to take it out by persuading it to hold to a piece of paper. I took it out and set it free. The poor thing fluttered and fell, then it crawled to the outside wall and hanged on there. I just let it be. The next morning, the poor thing sprawled on all six legs, dead.
It probably is a swallowtail moth called Lyssa macleayi. This species was named in 1856 after William Macleay, a great international entomologist like his father: Alexander Macleay. He added his collection to his father's in founding the Macleay Museum at the University of Sydney.
bangchik
What a beautiful visitor to your home. It could have been it was nearing the end of it's life, and spent the last few hours with you.
ReplyDeleteHow beautiful and sad!
ReplyDeleteAwe...Why are butterflies so beautiful...it makes me feel bad killing caterpillars who eat my leaves...
ReplyDeleteKeewee.... Insects like butterfly are not like cats, and bigger animals. Their lives are short and death almost prescribed, like someone pulling out the lifeline while you are still active and kicking. Cats may show somekind of sickness before the eventual death. Butterflies are too small for us to recognise any of the symptoms. Glad that butterfly choose my place as its final stopover.
ReplyDeletePam.... Too sad for not recognising the sufferings that butterfly got to go through...
Cheers, bangchik.
What a beautiful butterfly! I don't think I've seen one like this, even though the shape looks like a swallowtail variety.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful visitor, thank you for sharing the pictures with us. The ending is sad, but part of the natural cycle, as others have said.
ReplyDeleteKimberly.... The butterfly was a lot bigger than those regularly visiting our garden. Too bad the stay is short. Too sad the stay was about parting gesture.
ReplyDeleteRebecca.... I should have known about its life almost nearing when it came. No wonder, the poor thing just look while I was busy clicking...
Aaron.... Pity the butterfly going into rotating fan. I remembered about a group of ducks walking in neat row while crossing the road. The motorist braked but ducks keep walking. One or two sprawled on the road at the end..
Cheers,
Bangchik.
Hi! A similar moth flew into my kitchen recently. I did the same thing you did. Click away. Even considered posting. Haha! Everytime I read your blog, it reminds me of similarities.
ReplyDeleteOne.... There bound to be similarities. We are sharing the big place called EARTH.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Bangchik
that is so beautiful. Thank you for sharing it with us here. We would have nothing like that in England. PS my roselle plant has some tiny flower buds! I'm excited about that!
ReplyDeleteMatron...... thanks for the visit and comment. Butterfly is beautiful even on death bed. Congratulations for coming close to actually see roselle flower!!
ReplyDelete~ bangchik
what a beautiful visitor Bangchik and what a great photo opportunity :) Rosie
ReplyDeleteRosie of leavesandbloom...., very rare indeed. A butterfly knowing its actual exit date, came for help I guess, and we as always, look at butterfly only on its beauty, nothing else....
ReplyDelete~bangchik
Your specimen is probably Lyssa zampa; L. macleayi is a species mainly occurring in New Guinea.
ReplyDelete