Ornithoptera euphorion "golden form"

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Trehopr1
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Ornithoptera euphorion "golden form"

Post by Trehopr1 »

Here is a photograph taken from this website
on October.06.2014

Don't know if the site is still up but, the pair
shown makes this a "mythical" item to own !

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Last edited by adamcotton on Thu Jul 21, 2022 10:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: spelling Ornithoptera in subject
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Re: Ornoithoptera euphorion "golden form"

Post by daveuk »

I remember seeing these on the website " Butterflies & Things" Believe the strain sadly died out.

One of my male O euphorion. This is as gold as mine get !!
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Re: Ornoithoptera euphorion "golden form"

Post by Panacanthus »

daveuk - yep, Connie, owner of B&T, brought a number of these into the country. I got my pair from her. Sadly I ended up selling them but I will post a photo soon.
“Seems to me the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living.” -David Attenborough
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Re: Ornoithoptera euphorion "golden form"

Post by daveuk »

Panacanthus wrote: Thu Jul 21, 2022 9:29 pm daveuk - yep, Connie, owner of B&T, brought a number of these into the country. I got my pair from her. Sadly I ended up selling them but I will post a photo soon.
I imagine that you probably regret that now?
Look forward to seeing the photo anyway
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Re: Ornithoptera euphorion "golden form"

Post by Trehopr1 »

I recall our forum member (billg) as having owned a male or (maybe a pair) of these. However, he did sell off the bulk of his birdwings and I am uncertain as to whether he retained the pair.
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Re: Ornithoptera euphorion "golden form"

Post by Panacanthus »

daveuk - yes, I do regret selling them! And now, after searching, I don't even have very high quality photos! :(

So I wish I had better pics to share but these are the best I have. These are not exactly in proper proportion to each other - there was a bit more size difference between the two specimens.

Based on everything I've seen, the female specimen in the first photo by Trehopr1 was probably not that white in reality. I believe it's just the effects of low image quality and some "tweaking" of the image. All of the females I've seen were more of a cream/beige color, like the one in my photo. (Not implying Trehopr1 is responsible for the photo quality!)

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Last edited by Panacanthus on Fri Jul 22, 2022 3:31 am, edited 3 times in total.
“Seems to me the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living.” -David Attenborough
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Re: Ornithoptera euphorion "golden form"

Post by Panacanthus »

This was an "intermediate" pair I had. From the same group as the "pure" goldens. Very poor photo! :roll: The dark looking areas around the hindwing spots were not stains. They were the effect/result of yellow "trying" to come through from the verso. These were placed in a riker per the request of the buyer.

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This was another very nice variant. However, sadly and embarrassingly, I cannot remember if it was from the "golden" group. And yes, it was sold! :cry:

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Re: Ornithoptera euphorion "golden form"

Post by Trehopr1 »

Wow !

You really had some mighty incredible birdwings panacanthus back in the day. I've never had the connections nor the money to afford things on this level.

I don't even know what a pair of golden euphorions would even sell for these days...

Right now I think it could be said that these are of a mythical reverence that only a few things ever reach.
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Re: Ornithoptera euphorion "golden form"

Post by bobw »

Trehopr1 wrote: Fri Jul 22, 2022 7:40 am I don't even know what a pair of golden euphorions would even sell for these days...
I'm sure you'd be looking at 5 figures!

I seem to remember that on the old forum, somebody posted a photo of a box with about 6 pairs in it, I can't remember who it was now but there aren't many of our members who might have had something like that.
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Re: Ornithoptera euphorion "golden form"

Post by daveuk »

Those are all absolutely incredible specimens Panacanthus. The photographs are also probably better than anything I post. I have seen euphorion in the wild in tropical North Queensland. Wonderful to see them on the wing. Picture I took at the butterfly farm in Kuranda.
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Re: Ornithoptera euphorion "golden form"

Post by Chuck »

It's my observation that of the priamus group, euphorion exhibits the greatest variation. There are some islands QLD that have local forms with lovely, rather consistent spots.

I've told this story before, but here it is again: I'd spent time in Solomons, then found myself in QLD. On Magnetic Island, walking through a cute neighborhood one morning, an ornithoptera was nectaring on hibiscus. Something struck me as odd, so I simply reached up and grabbed it, without injury. I carried that damned thing for a good hour (maybe more) trying to figure out what it was that was in the back of my mind. Finally, tired of carrying the butterfly, I released it. 30 minutes later it came to me: it was completely blue. I'd had fixed blue (urvilleanus) as "normal" in my head, not totally realizing blue in QLD is "wrong".
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Re: Ornithoptera euphorion "golden form"

Post by billgarthe »

Here is a pic of the pair of Goldens I used to have. At left are smaller verso pics. So glad I took the pics……it was a thrill to have them back then. The stories surrounding these are quite interesting…..and varied.
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Re: Ornithoptera euphorion "golden form"

Post by Trehopr1 »

Thanks for joining in bill and a special thanks for sharing those pictures of your former specimens.

I've never seen the verso side of this mythical species. What a treat it is indeed to realize they look so different from another view.

I have no idea what a pair of these were fetching back in the day but, I'm certain I could have never afforded them. As unique and spectacular as they are I think once I owned them they would never leave me until I was about done...

I have traded a few select specimens (over time) with others who clearly had a great desire to own them because of their specialized interest. But, sellers regret "settled in" on a couple of those specimens and I no longer bargain on any of my core "hard won" species.
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Re: Ornithoptera euphorion "golden form"

Post by Panacanthus »

Bill, was the verso of your goldens actually orange? The verso of my male was the same yellow as the recto. I notice that the abdomen also appears orange underneath, and the female also appears to have a very orangish verso.
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Re: Ornithoptera euphorion "golden form"

Post by billgarthe »

Panacanthus,

Yes, they were darker, but perhaps my lighting made them seem darker. It’s been years since I had them, so I’m not actually too sure.
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