Blue Morpho butterfly emerging from its chrysalis time lapse. Morpho peleides

Blue Morpho butterfly emerging from its chrysalis time lapse. Filmed by Neil Bromhall. Morpho peleides are one of the largest butterflies in the World and are native to Mexico and central America. The upper wings have a vivid metallic blue colour. The colour on the wings are not made from pigment but by iridescence. You can see the veins pumping fluid through the wings to make them unfurl and expand. After several hours the wings dry and harden, enabling the butterfly to fly. The blue flashing wings can be seen amongst the dense forest foliage. The visual signal helps them find mates and defeat their territories. The start of the time-lapse shows the butterfly wings forming within the chrysalis. When mature, the immature juvenile butterfly pumps itself and expands, breaking open the chrysalis and emerges. Blue Morphos are threatened by deforestation. Filmed in my studio using Nikon 35mm digital camera. The butterflies emerge in the early morning usually before the sunrise. Interval ranging from 1 frame per minute to 6 frames per second. Music 'Laid back guitars' by Kevin MacLeod