#birdwings

[histsciart]

Birdwing Wingsday!

Green birdwing butterfly (Ornithoptera priamus) illustrated by Frederick Polydore Nodder for The Naturalist's Miscellany, Vol. 1 (1789-1813) by George Shaw.

View more insect posts and illustrations.

View more Wingsday posts.

[maplewood126]

Birdwings (dragons of paradise)

the first image is an older drawing i did from 3 years ago, older concept design. Snd these are the new and improved concept ideas!!!

Despite their seemingly welcoming name, the dragons of paradise are all but welcoming. These hostile and stand offish dragons are threatening towards outsiders (other dragon tribes) but amoug their community, they are kind, organized and joyful. Living in the dense jungles of the Nervego (Ner-Vah-go) (literally nevergo but mixed up, if you couldn't tell lol). The jungle itself isnt particurally dangerous, with the most dangerous plants being the manchineel tree and a monsterous fly trap plant that is easily identifiable and avoidable. (They take slow to consume so one must use a knife or talons to get out. However the inside of the plant is thick, meaning your talons or knife need to be sharp.) The reason it is dangerous is because dragons went missing. Many were killed by birdwings or just got lost and starved to death. Birdwings are predatory animals. But they also eat fruit! They have the ability to inject venom into anyone they bite on command, the venom paralyzes the victim and in large doses can be fatal. A dragonet is taught at a young age how to control and use this ability. This tribe is covered in feathers (shown in the older drawing) they're a but medium sized with large wings. They are more like tree hoppers and climbers, which is why they have those large hooked fingers on their wings, to grab onto branches. Their claws are long and hooked so they can get into the bark. The horns, shapes, sizes, feathers and everything varies, however the designs (physical base) remain relevant. They are very colorful dragons with colors ranging from all over the rainbow. Birdwing names are usually involved around bird names, particularly exotic ones from jungles (or africa), Flora and fauna from the jungle, and types of land revolving around a jungle. Their queen is queen Astrapis (a bird of paradise). She is shown in image 2 and 3. Only the dragons of the royal family have the crest on their head. Their history is different, from other tribes. After an ancient war many many centuries before, the birdwings had lost. They were driven from their home (then the plains and forests of the now greater horned dragons (rhinowings)) and forced to find a new home. In a desperate attempt to help her dragons, then queen cassowary lead her dragons into the unexplored jungles. Though brutal and almost uninhabitable at first, the dragons soon coped and became used ti the conditions, building villages and training themselves. Now they weren't forgotten, not at first. The other tribes knew of their whereabouts. But the dragons of paradise didnt show themselves simce they moved, and were slowly forgotten completely. It is only the rhinowings royals who are aware of their existence. As of now, they are stand offish but less likely to kill anyone aho seeks into their land, but rather kidnap them.

Their territory and kingdom is deep within the depths of the jungles

The palace rests in around and amoug the biggest tree in the forest. A waterfall somehow runs through it

[All images from google.] [Things searched: dense jungle, big tree in jungle]

[aretmaw]

Art Fight Attacks for Nekonomiya, @tealpythono33, @biracy and @luxannethesharkferret

[lobsteritus]

MONSTER-MAY: No.2 - Harpies

[yeatsihrig]

Wing Study, oil on canvas, 2023.

"The woods decay, the woods decay and fall,

The vapours weep their burthen to the ground,

Man comes and tills the field and lies beneath,

And after many a summer dies the swan...'

-Alfred, Lord Tennyson

[steampunk-fr]

Commission for Flight Rising user BirdWings!!

[bonusdragons]

July 20, 2021:

Indigo Tertiary, Skydancer, Crystal.

Antolini of BirdWings’ Kingdom of Myste!

[rattyexplores]

𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒔 𝒆𝒖𝒑𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒏

A.K.A Ornithoptera euphorion, “Cairns Birdwing”

Order Lepidoptera Superfamily Papilionoidea Family Papilionidae “Swallowtails, Birdwings”

The Adult butterfly is pictured above, though I couldn’t get a good shot of the upper wing patterns. You can find a clearer image in the source below. The butterfly’s colors and patterns change with the sexes as well. It’s wing span is 15 CM in females, and 12.5 CM in males.

The Pupae, Like other Swallowtails, are attached to a branch/twig by a small thread. 

The Larval stage is pictured above. It’s quite a large caterpillar, though I cannot find an exact size online. The final instars are big enough to fit quite comfortably in the palm of hand.

The larvae feeds on a variety of plants, including:

Aristolochia indica “Indian Birthwort”

Aristolochia praevenosa “Richmond Butterfly Vine”

Aristolochia tagala “Birthwort”

Pararistolochia deltantha “Mountain Aristolochia” 

(First instars only) Aristolochia littoralis “Elegant Dutchman’s Pipe”

This species occurs in North Queensland, between Cooktown and Mackay.

24/12/20, source - RatteJak