Butterflies of
Africa
Beautiful Forester
Bebearia sophus
FABRICIUS, 1793
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
LIMENITIDINAE
Tribe - ADOLIADINI
Bebearia sophus,
male, Wli Falls, Ghana / Togo border
Introduction
The genus
Bebearia is closely allied to Euphaedra, and
the uppersides of females of many species including sophus
and phantasia are very similar in appearance to the
colourful Euphaedra Foresters. Their cryptic
"dead-leaf" undersides however are completely different to those of
Euphaedra, which in many species are patterned in
bright yellow and / or pink.
The
male of Bebearia sophus in my humble opinion is
one of the most beautiful butterflies in Africa, both on the upper wings, which
seem to almost glow as the butterfly basks in a sunspot, and on the richly toned
cryptic under surface of the wings. The female is completely different in
appearance, and can easily be mistaken for a Euphaedra
species. In Euphaedra however the apex is rounded,
quite unlike the sickle-shaped apex of sophus.
Bebearia
sophus is a common and very widespread species, found throughout the
forested regions of Africa from Senegal to western Kenya.
Bebearia sophus,
female, Bobiri forest, Ghana
Habitats
This species occurs in the greatest numbers
in rainforest, but also penetrates well into secondary forest, riparian edges,
and can even appear in parks and village gardens.
Lifecycle
The
larval foodplants include Landolphia ( Apocynaceae
) and Chrysophyllum ( Sapotaceae ).
Bebearia sophus,
Wli Falls, Ghana / Togo border
Adult behaviour
Males
are commonly seen basking on low foliage, where shafts of sunlight
filter through the trees. They are also often seen on the ground,
feeding at fallen fruits, often in company with
Aterica galena and various
Euphaedra species.
Females are not seen quite as often,
but are also fond of feeding at fallen fruit.
Both sexes spend short periods
basking, but more often they hold the wings erect, at which time
their cryptic underside pattern affords them excellent camouflage.
When the butterflies are freshly emerged the underside is richly
toned in olive and cream, but in older specimens this fades and
the butterflies take on a much drabber appearance.
Bebearia sophus,
male, Bobiri forest, Ghana
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