Butterflies of
Africa
Danaid Eggfly
Hypolimnas misippus
LINNAEUS, 1764
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
NYMPHALINAE
Tribe - JUNONIINI
introduction
|
habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
Hypolimnas misippus,
Bobiri forest, Ghana
Introduction
The genus
Hypolimnas comprises of 29 species worldwide.
Hypolimnas misippus is the most widespread and abundant member of the
genus, and is found in South America, Africa, the Indian subcontinent,
south-east Asia, and Australia.
The
"Danaid" part of the vernacular name refers to the fact that the female of this species is a
mimic of the unpalatable
( to birds ) Danaid
Danaus
chrysippus - the bright orange Plain Tiger. The male, illustrated above,
is quite different in appearance, being blackish on the upperside, with circular
white patches that reflect a deep purple sheen in bright sunlight.
The "Eggfly" part is something of a misnomer, but refers to the remarkable
behaviour of a closely related Asian species H. antilope,
whose female sits over her batch of eggs, protecting them from attack by
parasitoid wasps. She remains in position until the eggs hatch, and usually dies
in situ.
The Danaid Eggfly is a very
widely distributed species ( as is Danaus chrysippus
), being found across the entire African continent, and also on the Indian
subcontinent, s.e. Asia and Australia. It has also colonised several Caribbean
islands, and parts of northern South America.
Habitats
This species is extremely adaptable, and
can be found in many habitats including semi-desert, acacia scrub, savannah,
well vegetated beaches, open areas within tropical rainforest, and is a regular
visitor to botanical gardens and flowers wastelands.
Lifecycle
The
larval foodplants are very diverse, and include Portulaca,
Talinum ( Portulacaceae ),
Ruellia, Asystasia,
Blepharis, Justicia,
Pseuderanthemum ( Acanthaceae ), Amaranthus
( Amaranthaceae), Ipomoea ( Convolvulaceae ),
Abelmoschus, Abutilon
and Hibiscus ( Malvaceae ).
Adult behaviour
Males bask on the ground, or perch
with wings half-open on bushes, to await passing females. The
latter are
most commonly seen flitting
about on open ground looking for egg-laying sites.
Hypolimnas misippus,
Aburi, Ghana
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