∗This Birdwing is on the endangered species list.Location: Bali, Indonesia
van de Poll’s Birdwing Troides vandepolli vandepolli
∗This Birdwing is on the endangered species list.Location: Bali, Indonesia
a butterflyer's photo journal + lifelists
∗This Birdwing is on the endangered species list.Location: Bali, Indonesia
my butterfly collection 
Wow, what a thrill. I would love to see a birdwing one day.
Nick you can find tons of Birdwings in Thailand and Taiwan. They are really special, but quite abundant. I specifically went to the Butterfly Farm in Bali to see this one though, and the one that I posted today. A gal at the Ecolodge told me that these two were both quite rare and endangered and the only place I was likely to see them was there. So I went. I normally don’t enjoy that type of butterflying. But I hate the thought of missing seeing one alive, if it passes from this world. They are spectacularly beautiful.
We are planning a trip to Florida next summer (if my son works hard for his high school exams). I see that there are a number of butterfly gardens/displays there, some of which I would love to visit. It would be a shame to go so far and not visit them. I don’t count any butterflies found in such places on my lifetime list, but it is great to see them in the flesh. You get a much better idea of size and colour than from a book. Also, it is often the only way to see some species. I think many of the displays there have native Florida species, so they may give me opportunities to photograph butterflies that I have seen flying past outside! Thailand is high on my list of countries I would love to visit. Probably one for when the kids have left home!