Butterflies of
Africa
Blue Red-eye Skipper
Pteroteinon laufella
HEWITSON, 1868
Family - HESPERIIDAE
subfamily -
HESPERIINAE
Tribe -
Pteroteinon laufella,
Bobiri forest, Ghana
Introduction
The 9 largish members of the genus
Pteroteinon are all west African in distribution.
In common with
several crepuscular / nocturnal skipper genera from other
regions of the world,
Pteroteinon species all have red
eyes - possibly a factor that helps them to see better in the
dark.
Pteroteinon laufella can easily be
distinguished from related species by the presence of a slightly
metallic blue-green sheen on the upper surface of it's wings.
The Blue
Red-eye is found from Sierra Leone to Congo and Angola.
Habitats
This is a rainforest species, but it is quite tolerant of habitat degradation,
and is quite common in relatively open area such as clearings and larger glades.
Lifecycle
The larvae feed on the leaves of oil palm
Elaeis, and on coconut Cocos.
Adult behaviour
The butterfly is usually encountered singly. It can sometimes be
disturbed from its resting places in the forest undergrowth
during the day, in which case it darts off rapidly but quickly resettles a few metres away.
The main period of activity however begins at
dusk, when the butterfly can be seen whirring from flower to
flower around forest glades. Before long it locates an
Ipomoea - a common member of the Convolvulaceae
with deep trumpet-like pink flowers. After a second or two it
crawls right into the flower to reach the nectaries, until it
almost disappears from view. It remains within the flower, feeding avidly
until the petals close around it, providing it with a safe
haven for the night. At dawn the next day the flowers
gradually reopen, and the
warmth of the sun arouses the butterfly, persuading it to leave and seek a
hiding place in the shade of the forest.
Pteroteinon laufella,
Bobiri forest, Ghana
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