Butterflies of
Africa
Soldier Commodore
Junonia terea
DRUCE, 1773
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
NYMPHALINAE
Tribe - JUNONIINI
Junonia terea,
Bunso, Ghana
Introduction
The genus
Junonia comprises about 33 species which are found variously
in North America, South America, Africa, Asia and Australia.
There are 17 species found in
mainland Africa - hadrope,
westermanni, artaxia,
stygia, gregorii,
terea, natalica,
chorimene, touhilimasa,
ansorgei, cymodoce,
africana, schmiedeli,
sophia, orithya, hierta
and oenone. The latter 3 species also occur
on Madagascar. Additionally there are 2 species endemic to Madagascar -
rhadama and goudoti.
Junonia
terea is a very common and widespread species, found from Senegal to
southern Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia; and south to Congo, Tanzania and
Transvaal.
Habitats
This species is found in glades, clearings and forest edge habitats, at altitudes between sea level and about
1200m.
Lifecycle
The larval foodplants include
Asystasia, Barleria,
Hygrophila, Justicia,
Paulowilhelmia, Phaulopsis
and Ruellia ( Acanthaceae ).
Adult behaviour
Both sexes visit flowers for nectar,
but less so than is the case with other
Junonia species. They are more commonly seen basking,
usually among low herbage, in damper parts of their habitats.
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