Butterflies 0f Niue 2010

Wander the magnificent rainforests and gardens of Niue, there are some amazing plant and animal life – from orchids, hibiscus, frangipani and bougainvillea to parakeets, white-tailed terns, other exotic birds and beautiful butterflies, adding to the brilliant diversity of this eco-tourism paradise.

As a celebration of Niue’s natural beauty, Nieu Post issued a collection of butterfly-themed stamp collectables. Featuring three of Niue’s most eye-catching specimens, the collection includes a stunning miniature sheet with an innovative design that brings the butterfly theme to life.

 
$1.40 – Pepe Hypolimnas bolina

Hypolimnas bolina is commonly known as the great eggfly, the blue moon butterfly and the common eggfly.

 

 

The male of the species (shown on this stamp) has jet black wings offset with white spots surrounded by purple iridescence, while the female’s wings are brownish black with no spots. 

Hypolimnas bolina is a black-bodied butterfly with a wingspan of about 70–85 millimetres .Hypolimnas bolinais a fairly common butterfly found in lightly wooded country, deciduous forests, thick and moist scrub and the greener parts of human habitation.

Hypolimnas bolina is found in Madagascar in the west, through to South and Southeast Asia, South Pacific islands (French Polynesia, Tonga, Samoa, Vanuatu), and occurs in parts of Australia, Japan, and New Zealand.

$1.70 – Junonia villida

The male and female of the Meadow argus (Junonia villida) have a similar appearance – most notably in having two blue ‘eyespots’ on their wings. These are a defence mechanism the butterflies use to either frighten predators away or confuse them into thinking that the eyespots are the target. This enables the butterfly to escape with only a small part of its wing being lost.

The Meadow Argus (Junonia villida) is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae, commonly found in Australia.The underside of the wings are mainly unmarked, except the lower part of the fore wing has similar markings as the upper side.The wingspan measures 4 centimetres  in males and 4.3 centimetres  in females.

The Meadow Argus can be found mainly on the Australian mainland, as well as in Tasmania, Kangaroo Island, Lord Howe Island, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Fiji, Papa New Guinea, Indonesia, Samoa and Cook Islands.They reside in urban areas, forests, woodlands, and grasslands, though they are uncommon during the winter months. Every year during October or November, the butterflies migrate from southern Australia to warmer areas in the north

$2.40 –  Hypolimnas antilope

Hypolimnas antilope is another of the more than 20 species of eggfly. Like Hypolimnas bolina, they lay their eggs in large batches on the upper surface of leaves, then form a protective umbrella over them to shield them from predators.

 

They stay in this position until the eggs hatch and the tiny caterpillars have dispersed several days later.