Butterflies of
Africa
Dark Vulgar Bush Brown
Bicyclus
sandace
HEWITSON. 1877
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
SATYRINAE
Tribe - SATYRINI
Bicyclus sandace, Bobiri forest, Ghana
Introduction
Bicyclus is the most numerous of the Satyrine
genera in Africa, comprising of about 85 species, 50 of which occur in West
Africa. The butterflies are collectively known as Bush Browns, and can be
thought of as the sister genus to the Asian Mycalesis.
Bicyclus
are characterised by having a regular series of submarginal ocelli on the
hindwings, and a pair of ocelli on the forewings, of which the lower ocellus is
always the largest. In most species the ocelli are very prominent, but in a few
species such as sweadneri they are vestigial,
especially in the dry season morph. Most species have very rounded wings, but
again there are a few exceptions such as zinebi
which has a squarish apex on its forewings, and sambulos
which has a stumpy "tail" on the hindwings.
Bicyclus
sandace is found from Senegal to Ethiopia, and south to Angola and Kenya.
Habitats
This is a forest edge species found along logging roads and in clearings. It is
an adaptable species however and also colonises farmland, riverbanks, parks,
gardens, acacia scrub, coastal dunes and many other habitats.
Lifecycle
The larval foodplants are grasses, of which
many species are probably used.
Adult behaviour
The butterflies fly in full sunshine all through the day, and
rarely settle unless the weather is cool or overcast. Males
regularly dip down into the grasses in search of females.
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