Museum-style glass entomological box (26x33x6 cm), as new, containing five large butterflies belonging to the Caligo genus. Caligo is a genus of Lepidoptera in the Nymphalidae family and the Morphinae subfamily, of which some twenty species are known, all represented on the American continent, mainly in the tropical and secondary forests of Mexico, Central and South America. These very large butterflies are commonly called "owl butterflies" after the large eye-spots on the underside of their hind wings, reminiscent of owl eyes, which are supposed to frighten off their predators when they are at rest with their wings folded.
On the top row, two very large Caligo atreus from the Colombian forests, shown face down and face up. In the atreus species, the posterior ocelli are particularly well defined. Below, three smaller Caligo uranus from southern Mexico, the rightmost presented ventrally.
Caligo butterflies have one of the largest known feeding surfaces of all butterflies.
The box and butterflies are in perfect condition.