Costa Rica’s butterfly business
Morpho butterflies are a breed of Neotropical butterfly under the genus Morpho. This genus comprises an average of twenty-nine accepted species and one hundred forty-seven accepted subspecies. The morpho butterflies are mainly found in Mexico, Central America and South America- Costa Rica, Brazil, and Venezuela. Habitat in rainforests They have metallic colors, winged with glimmering […]
Morpho butterflies are a breed of Neotropical butterfly under the genus Morpho. This genus comprises an average of twenty-nine accepted species and one hundred forty-seven accepted subspecies. The morpho butterflies are mainly found in Mexico, Central America and South America- Costa Rica, Brazil, and Venezuela.
Habitat in rainforests
They have metallic colors, winged with glimmering green and blue spooks, particularly on the upper wing segment. Interestingly, morpho butterflies habitat in the rainforests; a major reason why they are fondly referred to as neotropical butterflies.
As much as they are mostly forest dwellers, they go into sunning clearings to get themselves warm. They prefer drinking their food rather than eating it. Their legs carry sensors they deploy to taste; their antenna helps in taste-smelling the air.
In recent years, the exportation of morpho butterflies has grown beyond every seeming expectation. Central America as a whole is amongst the largest purveyor of morpho butterflies. This increasing exportation has seen one of morpho butterflies’ habitation, Costa Rica, become one of the biggest breeders and exporters of the morpho butterfly.
Demand for Morpho Butterflies
The demand for morpho butterflies increases daily because of their captivating shade of colors that brightens and makes everything appealing. The growth of morpho butterflies’ exportation in Costa Rica is traceable; Costa Rica’s identification as one of the biggest exporters of morpho butterflies is not an abrupt identity.
Growth of business
The growth of the Costa Rican butterfly business started way more than twenty years ago. According to entomologists, over 400 families in Costa Rica make a living from breeding and rearing morpho butterflies for exportation purposes; it is a biodiversity minefield habitat to more than 15,000 species of butterfly and moth.
Captivatingly, it is thrilling to see how butterflies farmers in Costa Rica simultaneously preserve nature and also rake in revenues for themselves. Fashion designers are now veering towards the aesthetic appeal of nature to produce fashion styles. They are producing fabrics by imitating morpho butterflies.
The business potential is glaring to the globe; without doubt, its revenue should take a higher leap in the nearest future. Because of Costa Rica’s morpho butterfly business, aestheticism heightens to the world’s benefit while Costa Rica’s economy gets better
Thriving business
Costa Rican exports of butterfly pupae in millions of USD
2017- 2.62
2018- 2.88
2019- 3.22
2020- 2.38
2021- 2.25 (till october)
Main buyers
Destination countries in 2020 (in %)
– US -38
– Britain -15
– Canada -8
– Germany -24
-Others -15
– Between 60,000 and 70,000 pupae of all species are exported monthly
Morpho peleides
One of the most in-demand species
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