Butterflies of
the Amazon and Andes
Bordered Patch
Chlosyne lacinia
GEYER, 1837
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
NYMPHALINAE
Tribe - MELITAEINI
subtribe -
PHYCIODINA
Chlosyne lacinia saundersi,
male, Catarata Bayoz, Le Merced, Peru
© Peter Bruce-Jones
Introduction
The tribe Melitaeini is of worldwide distribution. It includes the
Crescents and Checkerspots of North America, and also many familiar European
species such as the Marsh, Spotted and Heath
Fritillaries.
There are 22 Chlosyne
species of which 15 occur in North America and/or Mexico, while
the rest are found variously from Guatemala to Argentina.
Chlosyne are characterised by having
a patchwork of black, yellow and red/orange markings, flattened
antennal clubs, and a slightly concave outer edge on the
forewings.
Chlosyne lacinia is the most widespread
and abundant member of the genus, being found from the southern
states of the USA to Peru, Bolivia and Argentina. There are 4
subspecies.
Habitats
This species is found along roadsides, forest edges, cattle
pastures and other open sunny disturbed habitats, at
altitudes between 0-1400m.
Lifecycle
The eggs are bright
orange-yellow. They are laid in
untidy heaps of up to 3 layers deep beneath the underside of
Helianthus
leaves ( Asteraceae ). The caterpillars occur in several colour
forms ranging from black to orange, and are covered with short
spines. They are diurnal and feed gregariously in the early
instars. In the USA they are a commercial pest of sunflowers.
These plants contain toxins which are ingested by the larvae and
passed on to the adult butterflies, rendering them noxious to
birds. The pupae are straw coloured, compact in dimensions, and
have a slightly waxy surface.
Adult behaviour
Males are usually seen either when
nectaring at Asteraceae, or when imbibing mineralised moisture
from patches of damp ground. Females when freshly emerged are so
heavily laden with eggs that they are barely capable of flying.
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