Blue Tiger Tirumala limniace

Photo of Blue Tiger (Tirumala limniace)

(c) Ashwin A, some rights reserved (CC BY)

OrderButterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera)
FamilyBrush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae)
GenusBlue Tiger Butterflies (Tirumala)

When thousands of blue tigers congregate in southern India, the air itself turns blue and orange—one of nature's most spectacular gatherings. This migratory butterfly travels in enormous swarms, often mixing with other tiger and danaid species until the sky is filled with fluttering wings. These gregarious insects mark the seasons with epic mass migrations across South and Southeast Asia, moving together for safety and breeding. The aggregations are so dense that observers describe the phenomenon as a living, breathing organism. Witness this butterfly tornado once, and you'll understand why monarchs aren't the only insects that know how to migrate in style.

Think you can identify this one in the wild?

Play Now