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The glasswing butterfly (Greta oto) is noted for its unique transparent wings. It's commonly found from Central to South America. In Spanish, the butterfly is named "espejitos," which means "little mirrors."
Although its wings may look fragile, the butterfly can actually carry up to 40 times its own weight. The transparency of the wings helps the butterfly hide from predators. The adults have a number of interesting behaviors, such as lekking when male butterflies gather for competitive mating displays.
Many national parks in Costa Rica are working on conservation of the glasswing butterfly, including Guanacaste National Park and Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.
Below is a gallery of six beautiful glasswing butterfly photos. Enjoy!
The glasswing butterfly is famous for its transparent wings. /VCG Photo
The transparency of the wings helps the butterfly hide from predators. /VCG Photo
Adult butterfly feeds mainly on the nectar of the flowers of the genus Lantana. /VCG Photo
The glasswing butterfly is migratory, so it can change elevations. /VCG Photo
The butterfly's common predators are birds. /VCG Photo
The glasswing butterfly flies fast at a speed up to 13 km/h. /VCG Photo
(Cover photo via VCG)
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