Butterfly - Cuba

5-6-2010

Now I am posting information on Cuba and followed by six maxi cards of cuban butterfly stamp affixed with post mark.

                                                                     Cuba

Cuba is an island in the Caribbean. It is roughly fish-shaped, and is placed east-to-west. The Atlantic Ocean is to the southeast, the Gulf of Mexico/Caribbean Sea is to the northwest. Ninety miles north is Florida, ninety-one miles south is Jamaica, and fifty-four miles northeast are the Bahamas.

Cuba has two unique butterflies that are found nowhere else, both giants of their families, and both rare. They are the Avellaneda's Sulfer (named after a famous Cuban artist), and the Homerus Swallowtail, with a wingspan of over six inches. The Sulfer is bright yellow with brilliant orange and red patches, and a deep ochre-orange underside. The huge Swallowtail is black with spectacularly contrasty yellow bands, and orange and blue spots on the hindwing. The underisde is variably suffused with brown and orange. Besides these two standouts, Cuba's butterfly fauna is very similar to that of other Neotropical areas, with species such as Mestras, Monarchs, Angled-sulfers, Purplewings, Preponas, Leafwings, Giant-sulfers, the White Peackock, the Caribbean Peacock, the Red Rim, the Malachite (mentioned above) and various others.