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Text and photographs protected by Copyright © Adrian Hoskins 2007, and must not be published in part or in whole elsewhere without prior written permission from the author.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 Amazonia PAGE 2
A gallery of photographs taken by Adrian Hoskins
Photographs taken in the Amazon rainforests of Ecuador, Brazil and Peru.
 
Click here for MOTHS of the Amazon and Andes
 
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Click on thumbnails to see more photos, and detailed descriptions of the distribution, habitats, lifecycle and behaviour of each illustrated species......
 
Quintina Glasswing
Oleria quintina
 
The genus Oleria comprises of about 50 species, characterised by the distinctive venation of the hindwings. The various species have transparent or translucent wings, marked on the upperside with a suffused white subapical bar, blackish borders and a black diagonal bar. The dark markings are repeated on the underside in orange, edged with black. This species breeds primarily with wet tropical rainforest habitats, and is most commonly found in the vicinity of rivers or streams, at altitudes between 200-800m.
   
Amazonicus Beauty
Baeotus aeilus
 
Baeotus aeilus breeds in wet tropical forests at altitudes below about 500m, and appears to be largely confined to the upper Amazon. Adults are usually seen in one's or two's, often together with B. deucalion or B. japetus, and are regular visitors to patches of mineral-rich damp sand along the shores of rivers in Amazonia. They have a rapid and powerful flight, and if disturbed, fly up and settle on nearby tree trunks or vegetation, but quickly return to their original feeding spot.
   
Iridescent Ringlet
Chloreuptychia herseis
 
The various neotropical Ringlets are all fairly small species which live amongst undergrowth in dark corners of the rainforest. The beautiful iridescent blue sheen on the underside of this species probably functions to make them more visible to potential mates. Like all Ringlets, this species feeds as larvae on grasses. The adult butterflies do not visit flowers, feeding instead at decomposing fungi, rotting fruits, bird droppings and tree sap.
   
Torquatus Swallowtail
Heraclides torquatus
 
This species occurs from Mexico to Argentina. Males migrate along river courses, and are often seen in groups of up to about 20, congregating to imbibe dissolved minerals from urine-soaked sand. Lesser numbers can be seen within the forest, usually when they aggregate with other species at wallows or seepages. They also mud-puddle at swampy ground around the edges of small lagoons, where mineral salts become concentrated as the pools dry out at the end of the dry season.
   
Lobelia Blue Ringlet
Caeruleuptychia lobelia
 
The wings of the blue ringlet species reflect high levels of ultra-violet, as well as visible light, serving to draw the attention of potential mates. Each species may have an individual ultra-violet pattern which serves to distinguish it from related species, but at close distances scent becomes more important in identifying an insect to a potential mate. Scent is disseminated gradually over a period of days, and becomes weaker as the males age, so an older ( and less virile ) male will be less likely to mate.
   
Banded White Ringlet
Pareuptychia ocirrhoe
 
Pareuptychia ocirrhoe, previously known as Cissia hesione, is the commonest of the "white ringlets", and is found from Mexico to northern Argentina. It's habitats are diverse, and include lowland primary and secondary rainforest, cloudforest up to about 1500m, and disturbed habitats such as farmland in wooded areas. In common with other neotropical Ringlets the adults feed on juices extracted from fungi and rotting fruit.
   
Dolicaon Swordtail
Eurytides dolicaon
 
This species is found at altitudes below about 400m from Panama to southern Peru. The butterflies have a rapid straight-line flight at canopy level, but descend when migrating along river courses, visiting wet sandbanks in company with Protographium and Protesilaus species. All three genera "filter-feed", sucking up water, from which they extract dissolved minerals, while regularly squirting jets of expelled liquids from the anus.
   
Antisao Glasswing
Pteronymia sao
 

These butterflies are usually encountered singly, flying in deeply shaded areas of the forest. They spend long periods perched on foliage. When disturbed they fly rapidly, but with slow wing-beats, and resettle a short distance away, but tend to return to their home patch within a few minutes. Males visit the stems of Heliotropium plants, from which they acquire pyrrolizidine alkaloids which they convert within their bodies into pheromones to lure females.
   
8 spot Short-tailed Skipper
Polythrix octomaculata
 
There are several different genera of tailed skippers occurring in the neotropical region. The genus Polythrix includes 14 species, characterised by having short thin tails, and a pattern of transparent windows in the forewing. Males spend much of their time hiding under leaves, but sometimes join aggregations of other Pyrgine skippers on damp sandbanks, at which time they always rest with wings outspread. They also fly at night, and are sometimes attracted to artificial lighting.
   
Blue-rayed Metalmark
Lyropteryx apollonia
 
The genus Lyropteryx comprises of 4 species, the males of which are marked on the upperside with turquoise rays. The undersides are black with radiating white lines and numerous large red spots in the basal area. Males occasionally visit damp sand or earth, often close to habitations, being attracted to areas where clothing is washed, and to sewage seepages, or urine-soaked ground. They nearly always occur singly. Females have white rays on the upperside forewings, and broad red margins to the hindwings.
   
Pisonis Mimic
Itaballia pandosia
 
This little Pierid can be confused with Moschoneura pinthous, which flies in similar habitats. The latter however is smaller and has a series of white submarginal spots on the underside hindwings. Itaballia pandosia is found in wet primary rainforest habitats at elevations between about 200-800m. Males appear to be territorial, as they are usually seen singly, although other males are invariably present in the vicinity, dotted along the length of a trail at intervals of about 50 metres.
   
Common Morpho
Morpho helenor
 
The wing area of all Morpho species is enormous relative to the body size. This results in a very distinctive slow and bouncy flight pattern. The brilliant blue upperside colour appears to flash like a beacon as it alternates in flight with the dark undersurface. This makes it hard for birds to follow the flight, and causes confusion when the butterfly lands - the bird is looking for a brilliant blue insect, but the butterfly snaps it's wings shut to display the dark brown underside, foiling the bird's search program.
   
Mesentina Sister
Adelpha mesentina
 
Adelpha mesentina occurs in the eastern Andes from Venezuela to southern Peru, and throughout central and western Amazonia. It is common in southern Brazil in Mato Grosso, Rondonia and Madre de Dios. It is usually encountered in two's and three's, usually in the company of other Adelpha species. Males visit damp ground to imbibe mineral rich moisture. They normally settle with their wings held flat when feeding, but in exceptionally hot weather they feed with wings closed.
   
Harmonia Tiger
Tithorea harmonia
 
Harmonia Tigers are regarded as part of a huge "tiger complex" in which many toxic Ithomiines and Danaines share a basically similar pattern of black wings, strongly marked with orange. The Müllerian mimicry theory states that by sharing a common pattern, toxic species are less likely to be attacked by predators, who having experienced one distasteful insect will avoid eating others with similar colours. Tithorea harmonia occurs from Mexico to the southern Amazon.
   
Lycimnia White Flag
Melete lycimnia peruviana
 
Melete lycimnia occurs in several forms - peruviana has a pure white ground colour and a yellow spot at the base of the wings. At the other extreme, in the subspecies lycimnia the hindwings are lemon yellow, with wide brown borders. Males regularly gather on the banks of rivers to imbibe moisture from sand or mud. They commonly assemble in tightly packed clusters of 50 or more, but erupt nervously into flight if disturbed.
   
   

Amazon destroyed in quest for bio-fuel  !

The habitat of these beautiful butterflies is under severe threat of destruction. In excess of 10,000 square miles ( 2.6 million hectares ) of the Amazon rainforest is clear-felled every year.  Vast areas are deliberately burned to make way for cattle pastures. The pastures are very poor in nutrients, so support only very low densities of cattle. At the end of the dry season the pastures are set on fire to promote new grass growth and kill cattle parasites. These fires rage uncontrolled, setting fire to further areas of forest.  Deforested areas are much hotter and drier than the rainforests. Consequently the average temperature of the entire Amazon region rises and the humidity falls even more dramatically.  This causes major changes in the vegetation structure of the remaining areas of rainforest, leading to reduced biodiversity even in protected areas.

The remaining forests are under severe threat of destruction by US-based companies which seek to burn down the forests and replace them with vast soybean plantations, used to produce bio-fuels ! Please visit the rainforestportal website where you can find further information, and take part in on-line petitions to save the Amazon.

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