Idea (butterfly)

Idea
Idea leuconoe, paper kite
Idea malabarica, Malabar tree-nymph
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Nymphalidae
Subtribe:	Euploeina
Genus:	Idea Fabricius, 1807
Species
See text
Synonyms[1]
Hestia Hübner Idaea Oberthür, 1880 Nectaria Billberg, 1820 Sabalassa Moore, 1883

Idea (Hestia in older literature) is a genus of butterflies known as tree nymphs or paper butterflies. The member species are concentrated around South-East Asia. See Sevenia for the genus of African tree nymphs. These slender butterflies have very large, papery white wings with black veins and markings. They stay high up in the treetops where they flap around in slow flight. Like most other monarch butterflies ( Danaini ), wood nymphs are poisonous, and the striking colour patterns signal this. Several butterflies from other groups mimic these patterns.