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Butterflies of
the Amazon and Andes
Golden Lady Slipper
Pierella hyceta
HEWITSON, 1859
Family -
NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
SATYRINAE
Tribe - HAETERINI
Pierella
hyceta, Manu cloudforest, 1500m
Introduction
The tribe Haeterini is confined
exclusively to the neotropical region. All members of this tribe
are elusive crepuscular butterflies which spend their lives
skulking deep in the undergrowth. There are 5 genera - Pierella,
Pseudohaetera, Haetera,
Dulcedo and
Cithaerias.
The
genus
Pierella
includes 11 species, all confined to the neotropical region. The
butterflies can be instantly recognised by their characteristic wing shape,
cryptic underside pattern, and their skulking flight just above the
surface of the ground, in the darkness beneath the forest understorey.
All
members of the genus have brown uppersides, marked on the forewings with thin, feint brown lines, and on the hindwings with dark post-median ocelli or
spots. Many of the species have a blue suffusion over the hindwings, while
others are marked variously with white, reddish or orange.
Pierella
hyceta can easily be
distinguished from it's cogeners by virtue of the colouration of the upperside
hindwings - these are suffused with beautiful golden-orange, and have four brown
post-median spots. The only species with which
hyceta
can be confused is P. luna
lesbia, which has a
reduced and much more clearly defined orange area, and only two brown spots,
neither of which fall within the orange area. There is another orange species - nereis,
but that has a prominent and very clearly defined white median band that appears on
both wing surfaces.
Pierella
hyceta, Manu cloudforest, 1400m
Habitats
This is a pre-montane species, found in wet rainforest at elevations between about
800-1600m. Most other
Pierella
species however have a greater altitudinal range, typically from about
100-1600m.
Lifecycle
The egg
is pale and globular. It is laid singly on young
leaves of the foodplant, usually on seedlings.
When fully grown the larva is a dull brownish colour, with vague darker markings
and many thin longitudinal lines along the back and sides. The head has two
short horns, and the tail has a pair of caudal prongs. It feeds nocturnally on Heliconia,
possibly also on Calathea
( Marantaceae ). During the day it rests in a head-downwards
posture on the lower stem of the foodplant. The
pupa is pale brown with dark marbling and mottling on the wing cases
and abdomen. It is suspended by the cremaster from woody stems.
Adult behaviour
The butterflies
are usually encountered in two's or three's along dark narrow
forest trails or among bamboo thickets. They fly mainly in the
gloom of pre-dawn, but can also be disturbed when walking along trails
until mid-morning. Like all Pierella
species the flight is low and skulking, but surprisingly rapid,
and has been compared with the movements of a ballroom dancer's
feet, hence the common name "Ladies Slipper" or "Lady
Slipper".
Pierella butterflies avoid sunshine,
and by late morning have secreted themselves away deep in the
undergrowth. They often choose to hide amongst the tangle of rootlets
which are found at the base of certain palms.
As with other Pierella
species they tend to flick their wings open momentarily just after
settling but then immediately close them. On rare occasions just
after dawn they will bask with the wings outspread for a few
seconds but this is rarely observed.
Both sexes feed at decomposing fungi
and mouldy fruit on the forest floor.
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