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Text and photographs
protected by Copyright © Adrian Hoskins
2007, and must not be published
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Butterflies of
the Andes
White-patch
Cloudforest Skipper
Theagenes albiplaga
FELDER & FELDER, 1867
Family -
HESPERIIDAE
subfamily -
PYRGINAE
Tribe - PYRGINI
introduction
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habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
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.
Website designed, produced and owned by
Adrian Hoskins
Theagenes
albiplaga, male, Manu cloudforest, Peru
Introduction
This
is one of the most distinctive skippers in the neotropics, easily recognised by
the large pure white circular patches on the hindwings, and the cryptic
forewings, the apex of which is angled downwards when the butterfly is basking
or at rest.
There are 2 other species
in the genus :
Theagenes aegides,
a very similar species from Central America, once regarded as a subspecies of
albiplaga;
and dichrous,
which lacks the white patches, and occurs in Argentina and southern Brazil.
Theagenes
albiplaga occurs in
Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru.
Habitats
This is a cloudforest species, occurring at altitudes between about 1600-2800m.
Lifecycle
The
lifecycle appears to be unrecorded. Generally, Pyrgine butterflies lay their
eggs singly on either the upperside or underside of leaves. The larvae are
typically dull green or brownish, with thin longitudinal lines along the back
and sides, and with black shiny heads. They feed typically on low growing
herbaceous plants, but a small percentage feed on the leaves of bushes or trees.
The pupae are usually dark and smooth, with the wing cases in a contrasting tone
or colour. They are normally formed within silken tents formed by spinning
together the leaves of the foodplant.
Adult behaviour
The butterfly is usually encountered singly, or occasionally in two's or three's, and is only active in hot sunshine.
Males fly very rapidly, circling and zig-zagging just above the surface of the ground. They periodically settle to imbibe moisture from damp sand, with wings outspread, but after a moment or two the forewings are drawn partially over the hindwings to conceal the white patches. This is presumably a case of flash-colouration, whereby an avian predator chasing after a butterfly with conspicuous white patches is suddenly left confused as the butterfly effectively disappears after covering the hindwings.
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