Butterflies of
the Amazon and Andes
Malachite
Siproeta stelenes LINNAEUS, 1758
Family -
NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
NYMPHALINAE
Tribe - VICTORINIINI
introduction
|
habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
Siproeta
stelenes, Catarata Bayoz, Le Merced, Peru
Introduction
The tribe Kallimini includes the Asian
Kallima ( Dead Leaf butterflies ),
and the African genera
Precis
( Pansies ) and
Salamis ( Mother of Pearl butterflies
). In the neotropics
the tribe is represented by the genera
Anartia, Junonia, Hypolimnas, Metamorpha, Napeocles
and Siproeta.
The genus
Siproeta
comprises of 3 species - the Malachite
stelenes,
the green-banded
superba,
and the Rusty-tipped Page
epaphus.
All are large butterflies, with wingspans averaging 10 cms.
The beautiful
Malachite is distributed from Florida and Texas, south to Peru,
Argentina and Bolivia. The butterflies look particularly beautiful when
seen at rest, with sunshine streaming through the translucent
green windows on the wings.
Some workers consider
stelenes
to be a Batesian mimic of the Heliconiine
Philaethria dido.
The 2
species generally occupy different habitats -
dido is a rainforest canopy species,
whereas stelenes is found in
disturbed open forest. Nevertheless their avian
predators probably encounter both species fairly regularly, so the
theory may have some basis.
Habitats
This widespread and common species is found in a many different habitats
including lowland and mid-elevation rainforest, and deciduous
forests, but is most commonly seen in secondary
habitats, including roadsides, riverbanks, orchards and gardens. It occurs at
altitudes between sea level and about 1200m.
Siproeta
stelenes, Satipo, Peru
Lifecycle
The eggs are dark green, and laid singly on leaves of
Ruellia,
Justicia
or
Blechum,
all members of the Acanthaceae. Females tend to patrol back and
forth along a limited stretch of habitat, dotting their eggs about
fairly randomly.
The fully grown caterpillar is dark
olive in colour, with a series of whorled spikes along the back
and sides. Those on the back are reddish.
The
chrysalis is pale green, with the thorax and abdomen covered in minute black
dots, and is suspended by the long cremaster from stems of the foodplant.
Siproeta
stelenes, Catarata Bayoz, Le Merced, Peru
Adult behaviour
Both sexes nectar at
Lantana and other flowers. Males also feed at
fallen fruit, carrion and dung. I have seen groups of Malachites
feeding on decaying fallen mangos in Costa Rica, and on hot sunny
days often see them in one's and two's imbibing mineralised
moisture from
dirt tracks and stony roads in Peru and the Venezuelan Andes. If
disturbed they usually fly up onto the lower branches of trees,
where they rest with wings closed, and are superbly camouflaged. They
are usually seen in open sunlit areas along roads and riverbanks, but I have on
a few occasions found them roosting in late afternoon beneath leaves deep in
primary forest.
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