Butterflies of
the Amazon and Andes
White Peacock
Anartia jatrophae
LINNAEUS, 1763
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
NYMPHALINAE
Tribe - VICTORINIINI
introduction
|
habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
Anartia jatrophae, Pantiacolla, Rio
Alto Madre de Dios, Peru
Introduction
The
genus
Anartia
is closely allied to
Junonia
and its Afro-Oriental equivalent
Precis,
and shares their liking for sunny open habitats in disturbed woodland.
There are 5
Anartia
species of which
jatrophae
is the commonest and most widespread. The others are
lyrtea
from Haiti,
chrysopelea
from Cuba,
fatima from
central America and the beautiful black, red and white
amathea
from mainland South America.
Anartia
jatrophae in has a delicate
mother-of-pearl luminescence that is difficult to reproduce in a photograph.
The species occurs
from the southern United States to Bolivia and is also found on most Caribbean
islands.
Anartia jatrophae, Yarinacocha,
Ucayali, Peru
Habitats
This species is found in disturbed habitats such as gardens, forest clearings,
orchards, farmland and grassy riverbanks. It is primarily a lowland
insect, but occurs up to an altitude of about 1400m.
Lifecycle
The eggs are ribbed,
yellowish-green in colour, and laid singly on leaves of
Blechum,
Ruellia
and other Acanthaceae; also on
Bacopa
and
Lindernia
( Scrophulariacae ).
The
caterpillars and pupae surprisingly appear to be undescribed.
Adult behaviour
This is a
sun-loving butterfly, active mainly in the mornings when it can
be seen basking on the ground or on low foliage. Later in the day
when temperatures rise it rests in semi-shaded situations at the
forest edge, or sits in open sunlight with the wings held erect.
In the late afternoon when the temperature begins to dip, the
butterflies commonly bask at the top of coarse grasses and
herbage.
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