Butterflies of
Africa
Calypso Caper White
Belenois calypso
DRURY, 1773
Family - PIERIDAE
subfamily -
PIERINAE
Tribe - PIERINI
Belenois calypso,
male, Wli Falls, Ghana / Togo border
Introduction
The genus Belenois
comprises of about 30 species, of which 25 occur in the Afrotropical region.
Males of most species are pure
white, with well defined black markings, while females usually have browner and
more suffused markings, on a dull white or creamy ground colour.
The most widespread species is
aurota, which is found across most of Africa,
Arabia, the Indian subcontinent, and also periodically as a migrant, in
Afghanistan and Iran. In Africa it sometimes swarms in thousands, and can be
found in almost any habitat.
Belenois
calypso is not migratory in behaviour, but disperses thinly over a wide
area. It is found across much of sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Congo,
Angola and Malawi, but it's range does not extent to the East African coast.
Habitats
This butterfly can be found in many
habitats, ranging from arid Acacia scrub to primary rainforest. It is most
frequent however in secondary forest, and in woodland / savannah mosaics.
Lifecycle
The
larval foodplants include Capparis,
Cadaba, Maerua and
Ritchiea ( Capparaceae ).
Adult behaviour
Males are seen in much greater
numbers than females. They commonly settle on paths and forest
roads to imbibe mineralised moisture, often amidst aggregations of
Eurema,
Mylothris and Appias, with the
Eurema Grass Yellows invariably
outnumbering the other species.
Females are more often observed in
flight, when seen visiting flowers, or when ovipositing.
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