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Text and photographs protected by Copyright © Adrian Hoskins 2007, and must not be published in part or in whole elsewhere without prior written permission from the author.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 Andes
 
Oedipus Owl butterfly
Caligo oedipus STICHEL, 1903
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily - MORPHINAE
Tribe - BRASSOLINI
subtribe - BRASSOLINA
 
 introduction | habitats | lifecycle | adult behaviour
 
Caligo oedipus, San Pedro, Madre de Dios, Peru.
 
Introduction
 
A few decades ago the Owl butterflies were classified as members of the now defunct family Brassolidae. Following the revisions of Erlich ( 1958 ) and Ackery ( 1984 ), all of the butterflies with only two pairs of walking legs were placed within the vast family Nymphalidae. The Brassolidae became the Brassolinae - a subfamily, and then relegated further to become the Brassolini - a tribe within the Morphinae.
 
The Morphinae includes an estimated 140-150 neotropical species, 93 of which are placed in the Brassolini, and of these, 73 are placed in the Brassolina - a subtribe which includes Blepolenis, Brassolis, Caligopsis, Catoblepia, Dasyopthalma, Dynastor, Mielkella, Eryphanis, Mimoblepia, Opoptera, Opsiphanes, Orobrassolis, Penetes, Selenophanes, and Caligo.
 
The 21 butterfly species in the genus Caligo are known colloquially as Owl butterflies, due to the owl-like false eyes, and the feathery appearance of the underside wings.
 
The underside markings of most Caligo species are prone to variation, which often causes confusion in identification. C. oedipus can be confused with oileus, but the upperside forewings of the latter have broad suffused yellowish median bands, and the upperside hindwings are flushed with deep blue. In oedipus the bands are much narrower and whiter, and the whole upperside is flushed with greyish-blue.
 
Caligo oedipus occurs from Honduras to Peru.
 
Habitats
 
This species inhabits a wide range of forest habitats at altitudes between about 200-1600m.
 
Lifecycle
 
Owl butterfly eggs are parasitised by tiny Trichogrammatid wasps that ride from place to place on the hindwings of the butterflies. They only leave the female's wings when she lays eggs, and then return, to be transported to the next egg laying site. The eggs laid by any individual female may be laid either singly, or in groups of twenty or more.
 
The larvae feed on Heliconia leaves ( Heliconiaceae ). When fully grown they are a dull brown colour, marked with darker longitudinal stripes, and have prominent forked tails, and a crown of horns arising from their heads. The larvae are nocturnal, and rest during daylight hours on dead leaves at the base of the foodplants, where they are superbly camouflaged.
 
The large stocky pupae are pale brown with darker streaks, and closely resemble bits of dead foliage. They are formed hanging by the cremaster from woody stems or amongst clumps of dead leaves.
 
Adult behaviour

 

The butterflies are usually encountered as singletons, flying just before dusk along narrow trails. They are attracted to rotting plantains and other fruit on the forest floor, and if disturbed fly in a seemingly very ungainly fashion, with the flapping of their wings clearly audible. Normally they fly only a few metres at a time, and settle clumsily on foliage, often failing to maintain their grip, and being forced to resettle elsewhere.

 

They continue flying through the night, and are sometimes attracted into buildings by artificial lighting. Just before dawn they seek out narrow tree trunks, on which they roost during daylight hours at a height of between 1-2 metres above ground level.

 

On particularly dull and damp mornings they will continue flying, sometimes in quite open areas along the edge of forest roads.

 

 

 
 
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.
 
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