Butterflies of
Africa
Western Telipna
Telipna semirufa
GROSE-SMITH & KIRBY, 1889
Family - LYCAENIDAE
subfamily -
LIPTENINAE
Tribe - PENTILINI
Telipna semirufa,
Likpe Hills, Ghana / Togo border
Introduction
The
genus Telipna comprises of 25 species, all
Afrotropical in distribution. They are all very similar in
appearance, and are regarded as Batesian mimics of toxic
Aletis Geometrid moths.
Telipna
semirufa is distributed from Sierra Leone to Togo.
Habitats
This species is found in rainforest at altitudes between about 100-500m.
Lifecycle
The caterpillars browse on blue-green algae
coating the bark of trees.
Adult behaviour
In common with other Telipna species,
semirufa is found in denser parts of
the forest, but usually in areas where the understorey is fairly
open. The butterflies randomly undertake short flights, and are
quick on the wing, although the wing-beats are fluttery. They
spend long periods at the extra-floral nectaries of Marantaceae.
Both sexes are easiest to find at
dusk, when they go to roost, sitting at the end of
thin dry twigs, usually quite close to the ground.
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