Butterflies of
the Amazon and Andes
Silver-drop Skipper
Epargyreus
exadeus
CRAMER, 1779
Family -
HESPERIIDAE
subfamily -
PYRGINAE
Tribe - EUDAMINI
Epargyreus exadeus, Satipo, Peru
Introduction
The
Hesperiidae comprises of 5
subfamilies - Hesperiinae,
Heteropterinae, Pyrrhopyginae,
Pyrginae and Megathyminae.
The
Pyrgini tribe usually rest and bask with their wings fully outspread, but the
Eudamini usually hold their wings either fully or partially raised while
feeding.
There are 18 described species in the
genus Epargyreus, all featuring one or more large,
irregularly shaped white "silver-drop" spots on the underside hindwings. The
shape and size of the spots varies according to species, and also varies
somewhat within each species, so it can be difficult to identify these
butterflies without killing them to dissect the genitalia. The identification of
the illustrated butterfly should be regarded as tentative.
There are at least 6
Epargyreus species found in Peru. The known
distribution of exadeus stretches from Mexico to
Brazil.
Habitats
This species appears to be restricted to rainforest ad cloudforest habitats at altitudes
between about 200-1800m.
Lifecycle
To be completed.
Epargyreus exadeus, Catarata de Tirol, La Merced,
Peru
Adult behaviour
These butterflies are usually
encountered singly. In common with other Eudamini, the males of
this species are attracted to bird droppings. They are also
strongly attracted to mineral-rich moisture, and can be seen
drinking at damp sand, stone walls and rocky overhangs. On hot
sunny days they can be found extracting moisture from these
substrates with their proboscises, filtering out sodium and other
minerals, and curving their abdomen forward to squirt the filtered
water out from their anus onto the ground beneath their feet. They
use the filtered water to dissolve further minerals from the soil,
which they re-imbibe. This "filter-feeding" is practised by the
males of many butterfly species, but is most commonly observed in
skippers and in swallowtails.
The flight is powerful, with the
butterflies circling and zig-zagging very rapidly just above the
surface of the ground, prior to settling. They have a very nervous
disposition, but eventually become so engrossed in feeding that
they can be approached and photographed.
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