In part one of this series we discussed the incredible Monarch butterfly and the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve near Mexico City. We also took a look at a few of the Swallowtail species found in Mexico, and how to spot them in their natural environment. Now let’s continue with our dialogue on butterflies of Mexico.
One of the most incredible looking butterflies in existence is the Glasswing butterfly, or Greta oto. It is fairly small, compared to other species found in the area, with a wingspan of about two inches. Viewing the Glasswing from the side, one would see a long thin tan colored body, wings outlined in copper and thin black veins crossing the body of the wings. The rest of the wing area is completely clear – like glass. The tissue between the veins is thin, transparent and is not covered with the customary colored scales other butterflies are. Thus, the Glasswing has an appearance of glass. Another interesting trait of the Glasswing is its ability to feed on toxic when in the caterpillar stage of life. The toxins contain alkaloids, which convert to pheromones in the males, making them more attractive to females.