Butterflies of
Africa
Tentyris Forester
Bebearia tentyris
HEWITSON, 1866
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
LIMENITIDINAE
Tribe - ADOLIADINI
Bebearia tentyris,
male, Bobiri forest, Ghana
Introduction
There are about 95 Bebearia
species, all of which are found in the forests of the Afrotropics.
The males
of many of the smaller Bebearia species have a
fritillary-like pattern of dark spots on a brown or orange ground colour, and
several have a metallic blue or greenish sheen, but only in
tentyris are the contrasting violet and reddish
brown areas to distinctly divided. The females, in common with those of several
other Bebearia species, are marked with a
Catuna-like pattern in dark brown and cream.
Bebearia
tentyris is distributed from Cote d'Ivoire to Cameroon and Congo.
Habitats
This species is found in the drier
rainforests, and is quite tolerant of habitat degradation. It is found at
altitudes between sea level and about 800m.
Lifecycle
The
larval foodplant is Hypselodelphis ( Marantaceae ).
Adult behaviour
Males are commonly seen basking
in sunspots on the forest floor, and are strongly attracted to
decomposing fruit. They normally hold their wings erect when
feeding, but periodically fly up and settle on nearby leaves,
where they bask with wings fully outspread.
Females are seen far less frequently
and are secretive in behaviour. They are often overlooked because
of their similarity to other species.
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