If you guessed that the Owl butterfly got its name because its massive eyespots resemble an owl’s eyes, you’d be right.

They’re large, fly slowly and can only handle very short distances at a time, making them easy targets for predators. (And for humans who package and transport them more than 5000 miles, such as poet Ruth Sharman’s father, as described in her poem, The Birth Of The Owl Butterflies. Check it out, it’s a thoughtful digression.)

Owl butterflies are also nocturnal, which spares them from some of those predators, too lazy, groggy or darkness-impaired to hunt them under cover of the night. Their range is fairly wide, from Mexico south through Central America and across the equator to the Amazon basin. I believe that one pictured above and below is a Dark Owl Butterfly; if anyone disagrees, please let me know.

These photos were taken during a visit to the Butterfly Farm, a 29-hectare reserve that’s home to 1200 butterfly species where visitors can experience the four stages of metamorphosis up close. The exhibit area has 25 species on display. (Its one of several places where butterflies are the chief attraction in Mindo, Ecuador, with a few more popping up since my visit in 2013.)

Visits to the various butterfly farms are popular and worthwhile day trips from Quito, generally combined with a jungle canopy tour, bird and wildlife hikes and visits to local chocolate producers. Even if I remembered this particular tour, there’s no need to recommend one; tour operators are plentiful and rates very competitive. Ask at your hotel or hostel. They’ll happily hook you up.

A few more butterflies below.

Note 1: all photos snapped in Mindo, Ecuador, on 28 May 2013.

Note 2: This post first appeared on my blog Piran Café, which is no longer being updated, and moved here, with additional newly processed images and more accurate IDs, on 18 April 2026.