Live Photography at the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House

These are recent photographs of live butterflies shot at the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House in their magnificent butterfly habitat. I can't imagine Tropical Butterflies in St. Louis in DECEMBER!

We visited with the General Curator / Curator of Butterflies Mr. Mark Deering and he made the experience unforgettable. It is a spectacular facility and well worth visiting on a regular basis. He had over 1,000 live specimens flying with well over 100 different species, including quite a few Birdwing Butterflies - Troides helena - Troides amphrysus!

Two Favorites

Clearwing

My wife Rosemary and a nephew Christopher enjoying the magnificent facility.

 A Clearwing Heliconid resting on a leaf. There were hundreds of these beautiful longwings fluttering by.

Morpho

Paper Kite

 A Morpho butterfly at rest on a broad leaf plant.

 A Beautiful Paper Kite - probably Idea leuconoe - nectaring alongside one of the paths. Photo by Robert J. Nuelle, III.

Paper Kite

Longwing

Another shot of the Idea leuconoe as it nectars. Photo by Robert J. Nuelle, III.

Papilio memnon

heliconid

My nephew Christopher with a Papilio memnon resting on his shoulder. Photo by Elizabeth Nuelle.

 A gorgeous Heliconid at rest. Photo by Robert J. Nuelle, III.