Kamehameha Butterfly vs Blue Metalmark

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Kamehameha Butterfly Blue Metalmark
Scientific Name Vanessa tameamea Lasaia sula
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Nymphalidae Riodinidae
Size 60-70 mm wingspan 18-22 mm wingspan
Habitat Forests Forests
Diet Sap Feeders Omnivores
Regions Hawaii South Texas, Mexico, Central America
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Kamehameha Butterfly

Hawaii's state insect, a beautiful orange-and-black butterfly endemic to the islands. It is one of only two butterfly species native to Hawaii.

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Did You Know?

It was designated Hawaii's state insect in 2009 and is named after the Hawaiian royal dynasty.

Blue Metalmark

A tiny butterfly with vivid metallic blue upper wings that flash brilliantly in sunlight. It perches on rocks and gravel near streams in tropical forests.

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Did You Know?

Its brilliant blue iridescence is structural rather than pigmented, produced by nanoscale lattice structures in the wing scales.