Kamehameha Butterfly and Māmaki

Vanessa tameamea and Pipturus albidus

Acrylic on watercolor paper, 2019

$300

11 x 11” framed; archival matboard, black metal frame

The Kamehameha butterfly, also known as pulelehua, is one of two species of butterfly that are endemic to Hawaii (all other butterfly species are introduced to the islands). It’s related to painted lady and admiral butterflies. I’ve depicted it with māmaki, one of its larval food plants, as this painting is one in a series of insects and host plants.