Giant Owl Butterfly

 

The

This strikingly beautiful butterfly is the Giant Owl butterfly or Caligo telamonius mamnon. Here is a brief description from Wikipedia: Caligo telamonius memnon:

Caligo telamonius memnon, commonly known as the giant owl or pale owl, is a subspecies of butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.[1] This subspecies can be found in rainforests and secondary forests from Mexico to the Amazon rainforest in South America.[1]

The wingspan is usually from 115 to 130 mm, but can reach 150 mm.

The larvae feed on Musa and Heliconia species and can be a pest for banana cultivation. Adults feed on juices of rotting fruit.