Butterflies of
Africa
Acraea Blue
Aethiopana honorius
FABRICIUS, 1793
Family - LYCAENIDAE
subfamily -
LIPTENINAE
Tribe - EPITOLINI
Aethiopana honorius,
Kakum, Ghana
Introduction
The
genus Aethiopana is closely allied to
Hewitsonia. It comprises of just a single species
honorius.
In common with
Hewitsonia, Epitola
and several other Liptenid genera, males of honorius
have a dazzling metallic blue upperside. The wings glint in the sunlight,
reflecting so much light that the butterflies can be spotted from a distance of
at least 200m. Females are
blackish,
with silvery-blue scales at the base of the wings, and broad white diagonal bars
on the forewings.
The underside of both sexes has
an orange area at the base of the hindwing, and within this area is a group of
irregularly positioned black spots, giving the butterflies a very
Acraea-like appearance. It is likely that
insectivorous birds would be fooled into rejecting
Aethiopana as a meal, thinking them to be an unpalateable
Acraea species.
Aethiopana honorius is distributed from Senegal to Cameroon, Gabon, Congo
and western Uganda.
Habitats
This butterfly is found in rainforest habitats, along logging roads and around
the edges of large grassy glades or clearings.
Lifecycle
The larvae feed on algae growing on the
bark of trees.
Adult behaviour
Males have a
large black oval patch of androconial scales in the discal cell of
the forewing. These scales emit pheromones which are wafted in
front of the females during courtship, and used to entice them into copulation.
Both sexes habitually settle and rest
on tendrils or thin stems, close to the ground. If disturbed they
fly up into the trees, with a rapid twisting flight.
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