Trogonoptera brookiana
WINGSPAN 15 to 17cm (6 to 6¾in)
HABITAT Tropical rainforests
DISTRIBUTION Malaysia, Borneo and Sumatra, including some offshore islands
LIFESPAN 14 days
MALES AND FEMALES The males are mainly black with a chain of vivid green triangular spots on the forewings; females are mostly brown, with some white and green
It’s no surprise that this dazzling butterfly was named after the White Rajah of Sarawak, Captain Brooke, who ruled an English Province in northern Borneo in the middle of the 19th century. The males command respect: gathering in groups of 70 or more, they provide a blaze of colour as they drink from puddles of water. They’re also often spotted at riverbanks within the rainforests. Females are elusive, which means the males have to make an effort to mate with them, often chasing them in midair or ambushing them at an opportune moment.