owl butterfly

[ oul buht-er-flahy ]

noun

1. any of several very large nymphalid butterflies of the genus Caligo, native to the forests of Mexico, Central America, and South America, having a prominent eyespot resembling an owl's eye on each hindwing: its caterpillar is a pest to banana and sugar cane plantations.

Word History and Origins

Origin of owl butterfly¹

First recorded in 1880–85