Butterflies of
the Amazon and Andes
Snowflake
Leucidia brephos
HÜBNER, 1809
Family - PIERIDAE
subfamily -
COLIADINAE
Tribe -
Leucidia
brephos, Rio
Pindayo, Peru
Introduction
The
subfamily Coliadinae is worldwide in distribution, and includes 70 species in
the neotropical region. Among them are the familiar
Phoebis Sulphurs and Eurema Grass Yellows of
the lowlands, and the Colias Clouded Yellows of the
high altitude paramo and puna grasslands.
Most Coliadinae species are migratory in nature, and highly conspicuous -
Phoebis and Eurema for
example are often seen flying along riverbanks in "strings" of a dozen or more
while migrating, and males of both genera commonly swarm in groups of 50 or more
when mud-puddling at damp sand.
It may come as a surprise therefore to find that the tiny and elusive Snowflake,
a denizen of the dark rainforests, is also a member of the same subfamily.
There are in fact two
"snowflake" species -
elvina, which has dark wing borders and looks like
a miniature Eurema albula; and the illustrated
species brephos, which is by far the commoner and
most widespread of the two species.
Leucidia brephos is distributed from Panama to Bolivia.
Habitats
This
species breeds in lowland rainforest at altitudes between sea level and about
800m.
Lifecycle
To be completed.
Adult behaviour
Snowflakes are invariably encountered
singly, usually when seen in flight at light gaps in the forest,
where trees have fallen and sunlight penetrates to ground level.
These tiny butterflies have a very slow and very persistent
fluttering flight, flying for long periods but apparently going
nowhere ! It is in fact possible to watch one of these delightful
butterflies drifting and wafting about, but without travelling
more than a few metres, for several minutes before it eventually
settles. When the butterfly does settle however it tends to stay
put for long periods - these aspects of it's behaviour being very
reminiscent of the Leptidea Wood
Whites of European forests, although the latter are of course
entirely unrelated, being members of the Dismorphiinae.
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