Tiger Moth

Tiger Moth - Picture 3

Our butterfly guide, Robin, has often seen this pupa and wondered what it was – it’s a Tiger Moth! Tiger Moth caterpillars don’t spin a full cocoon. The pupa is suspended in a basket woven out of the caterpillar’s body hairs rather than silk. The cocoon made by the caterpillar is quite remarkable. It is […]

Is it a pupa, chrysalis or cocoon?

Is it a pupa, chrysalis or cocoon? A pupa is the life stage of insects that undergo a complete metamorphous from embryo, larva, pupa to imago or adult. Beetles, flies, ants, bees, wasps, butterflies, moths, fleas and caddisflies are the most well-known insects that undergo this change. Most are just called pupa but butterfly pupas […]

What’s the difference between Butterflies, Skippers and Moths?

What’s the difference between Butterflies, Skippers and Moths? Many people think butterflies are brightly coloured, delicate insects that fly during the day and moths are dull coloured insects, with fat, hairy bodes, that fly at night. Skippers are grouped with the true butterflies because they are day flyers but have fat fury bodies like moths. […]

Butterflies from around the world

We think we have some pretty incredible species of butterflies here in Australia, especially in Tropical North Queensland .. but there some equally beautiful butterflies from around the world! Purple Spotted Swallowtail (Graphium weiskei) from high rainforests in New Guinea Pachliopta hector (Crimson Rose) found in Sri Lanka and India Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) North […]

Olive-backed Oriole

A local gentleman rang the Sanctuary recently to tell us about a bird that has been eating Cairns Birdwing butterfly caterpillars off the vine that grows in his garden. This was interesting, as Cairns Birdwing caterpillars and butterflies are poisonous for birds to eat. The gentleman has watched the bird come and systematically search the […]