The Meat Butterfly (vanessa buffetensis) is a little-known species of lepidoptera indigenous to the Languedoc region of the south of France.
First identified in 1769 by Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffet, whence it derives its Latin name, the meat butterfly is rarely seen in the wild, probably because of its propensity to be instantly devoured by predators. However, it can sometimes be seen flexing its colourful meaty wings in its natural habitat: a rural wedding celebration.
These photographs afford some rare glimpses of vanessa buffetensis in its progressive stages of development:
Fig 1: Larva
Fig 2: Chrysalis
Fig. 3: Adult (rampant)
Fig. 4: Adult (couchant)
Vanessa buffetensis has been hunted almost to extinction by French wedding guests, who value it as a rare gastronomic delicacy. Appeals for the French government to declare it an endangered species have to date sadly been ignored.
12 comments:
Butterflies can't have much meat on them.
Billy, I think you'll find that this one has quite a lot of meat on it.
Perhaps if scientists inserted just enough DNA from the shit-moth into the meat-butterfly to eliminate its natural deliciousness whilst retaining its wonderful colouring, it might just stand a chance of survival. Of course, wedding guests would be forced to evolve in order seek out new ecological niches, or face extinction.
various meats in lovely nature shapes. perfect! so......how was The Big Event (obviously the charcuterie was fabulous)?
You could have posted a warning to us delicate vegetarians...
May have to have a lie-down now.
Was there a paté moth?
The chrysalis on the left seems to have enjoyed itself rather too much.
My consultant now thinks red meat may be causing my kidney stones. Don't say I didn't warn you.
dinner parties chez Rosie are going to consist entirely of butterfly sandwiches from this day forth. inspired!
And how was the wedding?!
Oh dear. What Annie said.
O-kay. Very nice. Is there a piccalilli moth in the house?
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