Half-male, half-female butterfly emerges from cocoon at museum exhibit
The rare dual-sex butterfly astounds curators at the Natural History Museum in London.
GYNANDROMORPH: Unlike the museum specimen, this dual-sex 'gynandromorph' isn't bilateral and displays a mosaic of both male and female traits. (Photo: Wiki Commons) 
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Thank you, Mother Nature Network, not just for posting this very interesting article about a freak of nature (that's all it is), but for allowing comments to be posted. The comments posted on this first page are an interesting insight on human nature. They demonstrate two things:
(1) only one reader stuck to the text of the article, John D. Laskowski, The Mothman (www.mothman.org) from Carsonville, PA, who graced.... More
search your mind and body and you will realise that we are the gods
While agree with some of what you say pertaining to religion and evolution, the freak of nature element is a bit disconcerting, and that ties in with my original comment so many months ago.
I am such a freak, and for anyone who happens to occupy such ground, seeing another example in nature is bound to draw interest and comment from me.
I'm not out to promote any belief (I'm not of any organised religion, and do not consider myself a lone.... More
I'm not sure what this has to do with Mormons... "But at this year's exhibition, one unusual great Mormon butterfly surprised even the experts."
Typo, I'm sure.. but it's distracting to an otherwise well written and informative article. :)
I will double check when the offices open again, but there is a butterfly known as the Great Mormon butterfly or Great Mormon Swallowtail Butterfly. The Mormon part in the common name refers to the fact that the females have three different forms/morphs so it reminded researchers of polygamy.
Buffalo Bill would certainly be very excited.
I wonder if it was endocrine disruption caused by environmental toxins? Abnormal sexual organs is one of the indicators.
A two-spirit flutterby!! How cool is that??!! I am a two spirit man and see myself too in these wonderful examples of the diversity in natural form throughout the natural world. Joan Roughgarden's book 'Evolution's Rainbow' shows a glimpse into this richer world than the one a false binary is imposed upon by humans who feel threatened by gender difference.
A perfectly beautiful example of an unguided natural form.
It would have been nice it the butterfly species was given. Also, if you follow teh link, "according to the Guardian," you find a picture of a different species.
the article says it... it's a "mormon butterfly"
It did give the species.
"But at this year's exhibition, one unusual great Mormon butterfly surprised even the experts."
Good grief people! Since when did this butterfly become gay. It is a genetic error. There are genetic errors in all of creation. It happens. Just because it has both male and female characteristics does not make it gay!!!
I hope the TEA party doesn't hear about this. They'll blame Obama
Perhaps they did do their homework..... however they simplified it so it would be an easy read and easier for the layperson to comprehend. No need to be so technical in this article that was written for the general public. :)
This thing must fly with one wing's pedal to the metal, and the other with its brake lights on.
It is a beautiful butterfly. This is about a butterfly. I have no problem with a person being homosexual because I have family members and friends that are. Its THEIR lifestyle, and it's NOT yours. It's not yours to decide what they should do.
Understand this: You have your religion, and everyone else has a religion that they follow, or they do not choose to follow a religion. God/Goddess or Gods/Goddesses or whatever is out there, will love you not matter what your lifestyle is. People.... More
Two errors may exist in this report on the gynandromorph butterfly. ( 1 ) Positively an error - Butterflies emerge from a cellular induced chemical transformation from the larva to the chrysalis ( not a cocoon ). Cocoons are structures formed from silk secreted from spinnerettes of moth larva. Butterflies do not have this capability nor do some species of moths which borrow into the ground as subterranean pupaters.
Bryan Nelson and other writers need to do their homework on lepidoptera.... More
'Normal' is the average of deviance ~ Rita Mae Brown
Funny thing about religion and being gay... never have had a gay person knock on my door wishing to proselytise.
Enjoy your weekend.
So, it's sort of a bi-plane. Perhaps an AC/DC 10 ??
People don't carry preconceived suspicions about butterflies. They don't see a different butterfly as a threat, and colour can be pleasing to the eye, so they admire its differences. When people are different, particularly with things that are intangible/abstract and complex that go against social norms. people get antsy and push back. Not all human societies act consistentl on this, some see sex/ gender issues in a different light, but I'm no expert on cultural anthropology.
Why do you think it is that this butterfly gets a different level of admiration for being anomalous?
It's a beautiful butterfly. I love how people marvel over the creature - and allow it to live out it's life. I wish humans would be so admiring and embracing of diversity, instead of being suspicious and fearful of it. Instead, when we discuss equal protections, we get redirects that declare any such legislation to be 'bathroom bills' that claim we may act in an ill manner when using public restrooms.
Diversity in nature is a beautiful thing. Please keep this butterfly in mind the.... More
