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The name "birdwing" derives from the insect's Latin name, "Ornithoptera," and like birds, they soar above the forest canopy. Birdwings are distributed from Southeast Asia to Australia, and the exact number of species is a matter of contention. "There are basically ten," explains Dr. Michael Parsons, an expert on the birdwings of New Guinea, "though [some scientists make a case for] twelve."
The Queen Alexandra's wingspan of up to 12 inches (30.5 cm) makes the large females bigger than many birds. Females are predominantly dark brown with creamy white and yellow markings, while the spectacular males, which are smaller, are mainly pale blue, lavender, and yellow on black. The Queen Alexandra's Birdwing takes about four months to pass through the four developmental stages, and can live another three months as an adult butterfly if it does not fall victim to predators. Birdwings feed on the nectar of flowers that grow many meters above the ground in the sunny rain forest canopy, and they seldom come to earth.
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