Butterflies of the World - Lifecycle, Ecology, Taxonomy, Conservation, Photography, Butterfly Holidays, Photo Galleries, Book Reviews and more.........
Text and photographs protected by Copyright © Adrian Hoskins 2007, and must not be published in part or in whole elsewhere without prior written permission from the author.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
 
Julia, or Flambeau
Dryas iulia FABRICIUS, 1775
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily - HELICONIINAE
Tribe - HELICONIINI
 
 introduction | habitats | lifecycle | adult behaviour
 
Dryas iulia, Rio Frio, Venezuela
 
Introduction
 
The dazzling orange Julia is widespread and common in the southern United States, and extends through Central America and much of the Caribbean, and throughout all of the tropical and subtropical areas of South America.
 
Habitats
 
The butterflies fly in rainforest and deciduous forests, but are commonly encountered in disturbed open habitats such as forest clearings, cattle pastures, along riverbanks, and in flowery gardens.
 
Dryas iulia, Rio Alto Madre de Dios, Peru
 
Lifecycle
 
Like most other Heliconiines, the Julia lays it's eggs on Passiflora ( Passion flower ). There has been a great deal of study into the relationship between these plants and the butterflies, which strongly suggests they they co-evolved : Some Passiflora species for example produce false stipules at the base of leaf stems, that induce egg laying by certain Heliconiine species. A day or two later the stipules drop off, carrying the eggs with them. Certain other Passiflora vines produce tiny tubercules on the stipules that mimic Heliconiine eggs. Any butterfly visiting the plant sees the false eggs, is misled into thinking that the plant is already overladen with eggs, and is consequently inhibited from ovipositing.
 
The Julia lays it's eggs singly, on the tendrils and leaves of Passiflora and Plectostemma, or even on nearby vegetation, and is thus less specialised than most other Heliconiines. As a consequence it is far more common and widespread than most other members of the subfamily.
 
The body of the multicoloured caterpillar is adorned with long black thorny spines, with a further pair arising from the head. It feeds openly in the daylight.
 
Dryas iulia, Rio Alto Madre de Dios, Peru
 
Adult behaviour

 

Males often gather in small groups to drink at damp mineral-rich sites such as salt-licks, sandbanks, peccary wallows, or urine-soaked earth. They are also regularly observed sipping liquid from the corner of the eyes of the yellow-throated caiman in Brazil, or from the eyes of turtles in Peru.

 

Females behave differently, visiting flowers including Lantana, Eupatorium and various canopy species, but instead of drinking nectar they feed on dissolved pollen, from which they obtain nutrients that have been shown to be essential to egg production.

 

I have not observed the courtship, but in Costa Rica have found mated pairs resting on low foliage with wings closed, in early afternoon. When copulated the butterflies are very reluctant to fly.

 

Dryas iulia, Rio Alto Madre de Dios, Peru

 
 
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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