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Text and photographs protected by Copyright © Adrian Hoskins 2007, and must not be published in part or in whole elsewhere without prior written permission from the author.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
 
Andean Painted Lady
Vanessa altissima ROSENBERG & TALBOT, 1914
Brazilian Painted Lady
Vanessa braziliensis MOORE, 1883
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily - NYMPHALINAE
Tribe - NYMPHALINI
 
 introduction | habitats | lifecycle | adult behaviour
 
Vanessa altissima, Manu cloudforest, 2800m, Peru
 
Introduction
 
The genus Vanessa has worldwide distribution, and includes the Red Admirals and the Painted Ladies, the latter sometimes being assigned to a separate genus Cynthia.
 
The most widespread butterfly in the world in the Painted Lady Vanessa cardui, which occurs on every continent except South America. In the Americas it has several smaller cousins including virginiensis and annabella ( both from North America ), terpsichore from Chile, myrinna and braziliensis from Brazil, carye from Argentina, and altissima from Peru and Bolivia.
 
The various Painted Lady species all bear a similar pattern of pinkish-orange, black and white on the upperside, and have cryptic undersides marbled in olive and grey, with a row of post-median ocelli of varying sizes on the hindwings.
 
Vanessa altissima is one of the smallest species, with a wingspan of about 50mm. As can be deduced from it's scientific name, it is a high altitude species, and is found only in the high Andes of Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.
 
Vanessa braziliensis is slightly larger at 55-60mm, and has a narrower median band on the upperside hindwings, and other minor differences in the markings on both wing surfaces. It is found at slightly lower altitudes, in Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela, Paraguay, Uruguay and northern Argentina.
 
Vanessa braziliensis, Manu cloudforest, 2000m, Peru
 
Habitats
 
These species both occur in disturbed cloudforest  habitats, typically where there are areas of scree caused by rock falls beside mountain streams. V.altissima occurs at altitudes between about 2200-3000 metres, whereas V.braziliensis is normally found at between about 1800-2500 metres.
 
Manu cloudforest, 2400m, with puna grasslands at 3200m in background, Peru
 
Lifecycle
 
I do not have any data regarding the early stages of altissima or braziliensis.
 
The eggs of the closely related virginiensis are whitish, and laid singly on a wide range of foodplants including Gnapthalium, Antennaria, Artemesia and Senecio ( Asteraceae ), Antirrhinum ( Scrophulariacae )and Malva ( Malvaceae ).
 
It is probable that specialised high altitude species such as altissima and braziliensis would have an equally specialised requirement regarding it's larval foodplants. I believe that Senecio is a likely candidate, being common in the disturbed rocky environments where the butterflies occur.
 
The larvae of other Painted Lady species are dark, usually mottled with black, and bear short whorled spikes on the back and sides. They live solitarily within a silken web spun around the upper leaves and stem of the foodplant, leaving a mass of frass adhering to the silk.
 
The pupae of Vanessa species are brownish or greyish, and slightly lustrous. They are suspended by the cremaster within the silk nests spun by the larvae.
 
Adult behaviour

 

Males tend to be seen in two's and three's, basking on rocks at the sides of unsurfaced mountain roads, usually in the vicinity of streams or ditches. They usually settle with wings outspread, while imbibing moisture form the surface of rocks. I have also seen them sitting with wings closed, while imbibing moisture in crannies amongst rocks.

 

I have not observed females, but they probably obtain their sustenance primarily from flowers such as Senecio.

 

In dull weather the butterflies roost singly near the top of herbaceous plants growing along roadsides and streams.

 

 
 
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