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Text and photographs
protected by Copyright © Adrian Hoskins
2007, and must not be published
in part or in whole elsewhere without prior written permission from the
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Butterflies of
the Amazon rainforest
"BD" butterfly
Callicore cynosura
DOUBLEDAY, 1847
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
BIBLIDINAE
Tribe - BIBLIDINI
introduction
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habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
Text and photographs protected by Copyright © Adrian
Hoskins 2007-2008, and must not be reproduced or published in part
or in whole elsewhere in any form without written permission from
Adrian Hoskins. Breach of copyright will be pursued by litigation.
Website designed, produced and owned by
Adrian Hoskins
Callicore cynosura,
male, Rio Madre de Dios, Peru
Introduction
The
common name of this species is derived from the bold markings on the underside
hindwings, which resemble the letters "BD".
The upperside wings are black, banded with brilliant red.
There are about 20 other species in the genus
Callicore,
all of which bear distinctive and graphic patterns on the underside hindwings.
This
species is found throughout Amazonia, from Colombia to Brazil, Peru and Bolivia.
Habitats
Lowland tropical rainforest.
The butterfly is frequently found close to habitations.
Lifecycle
The eggs are white, and laid singly on the foliage of
Sapindaceae.
The
caterpillars are green, with short spikes at the tip of the abdomen, and a pair
of huge barbed spikes projecting forward from the head.
The
chrysalis is suspended from a leaf by the cremaster, and has a keeled thorax,
and a curved abdomen.
Adult behaviour
The butterflies are usually encountered as solitary individuals. They have a rapid and powerful flight over short distances, and often settle on boats, jetties, or on the walls of wooden buildings.
Males often visit sandbanks to imbibe dissolved minerals from urine-soaked ground, and habitually settle on the arms and legs of humans to imbibe sweat. They also feed at rotting fruit, but are not known to visit flowers.
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