Transparent Animals

9.

Glasswing Butterfly

Facts

• Order: Butterflies
• Family: Nymphalidae
• Habitat: Mexico, Panama, Columbia

Transparent Part: Wings

Wow, that butterfly has see-through wings! Only the veins and the edges of the wings can be seen. This makes it hard for predators to see the butterfly. That’s why it’s often called the “forest spirit”.

To protect itself from its enemies, the butterfly feeds on plants containing various poisons as a caterpillar. They continue to be poisonous to predators in their adult butterfly form.

Glasswing Butterfly - Photo: Mark Bridger/Shutterstock

Glasswing Butterfly - Photo: Caz Harris Photography/Shutterstock

• Table of Contents:
• 0. Introduction
• 1. Glass Frog
• 2. Glass Squid
• 3. Leaf-Mining Beetle
• 4. Crocodile Icefish
• 5. Sea Walnut
• 6. Cleaner Shrimp
• 7. Indian Glassy Fish
• 8. Sea Angel
• 9. Glasswing Butterfly
• 10. Barreleye Fish