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Text and photographs protected by Copyright © Adrian Hoskins 2007, and must not be published in part or in whole elsewhere without prior written permission from the author.
Butterflies of the Amazon rainforest
 
Bates Olivewing
Nessaea batesii FELDER & FELDER, 1860
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily - BIBLIDINAE
Tribe - BIBLIDINI
 
 introduction | habitats | lifecycle | adult behaviour
 
Nessaea batesii, Madre de Dios, Peru
 
Introduction
 
There are 4 known members of the genus Nessaea, namely aglaura, batesii, hewitsonii and obrinus, all of which are confined to the neotropical region.
 
All of the species have similar undersides. The uppersides of the males are very dark brown, with brilliant sky blue diagonal bands on the forewings. The male of hewitsonii also has blue markings on the hindwings, but the remaining species, including batesii, have bright orange patches on the hindwings instead. The females of all species have plain brown hindwings, blue diagonal bands across the forewings, and elongated reddish spots within the discal cell of the forewings.
 
The current species batesii is found throughout the Amazon region from Venezuela and Surinam to Peru and Bolivia.
 
Habitats
 
Nessaea butterflies are usually seen singly or in two's or three's, and breed in primary rainforest at altitudes from sea level to about 800m. They are not usually encountered in secondary forest, and it is very unusual for then to be seen in open areas, although I have observed males of Nessaea aglaura in forest edge habitats and degraded forest in Ecuador.
 
Lifecycle
 
The apple green barrel-shaped eggs are laid singly on young Alchornea or Plukenetia plants ( Euphorbiaceae ).
 
The larvae when fully grown are bright green, each segment adorned with enormous whorled spikes which are amber in colour. If disturbed the larvae wriggle violently.
 
The chrysalis is dark green, and is suspended by the cremaster from the underside of a leaf.
 
Adult behaviour

 

The butterflies are usually found as singletons, but it is normal to see several males and one or two females during an hour long walk along a narrow forest track in suitable habitat.

 

If disturbed they fly very rapidly and with great agility, and resettle a short distance away, but invariably return to the original spot within a few minutes. Normally they settle on foliage, at heights between ground level and 3 metres, and usually close their wings upon landing. In sunny conditions however they soon open their wings, and will spend long periods basking on low foliage.

 

The butterflies are probably quite long-lived, as it is common to encounter specimens that are very faded and worn.

 

They feed at fallen fruit, and can be baited with plantain. They are also attracted to mammal dung and urine on forest tracks, but unlike many other members of the Biblidini they are not attracted to sunny sandbanks.

 

 

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