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Trip Reports
Butterfly - watching Holidays
Ghana
September 2001
a private trip operated by Greentours, and led by Paul Cardy
itinerary researched and designed by Adrian Hoskins
participants Adrian Hoskins, Keith & Eileen Gould, Stephen Meredith, Michael Barry, George Shutter
 
a trip report by Adrian Hoskins
 

Throughout the tour the weather pattern was consistent, invariably overnight rain would be followed by an overcast and humid morning. By about 0930 or 1030 conditions became very warm and humid, and the sun would burn through to give blue skies and patchy cloud. Sometimes cloud cover would return in mid afternoon and turn to drizzle, but on other occasions it would remain hot and sunny until late afternoon. While the weather itself was not especially enjoyable, and the paucity of sunshine minimised mud-puddling, it did enable the generally placid butterflies to be approached closely. 

Our first few days were based at Cape Coast, from where we drove daily to Kakum, a journey of about an hour. On most mornings we visited the canopy walkway at Abrafo, from which the Blood Red Glider Cymothoe mabillei, and various brilliant blue Epitola and Hewitsonia species could be observed.

A patch of fallen fruit along one of the minor forest paths produced a few Euphaedra species, and a beautiful Sulphur Glider Cymothoe egesta.  The trails around the HQ area were generally narrow and produced few butterflies, but the open flowery area surrounding the car park was excellent for several Acraea species.

Open secondary forest in the Antikwaa area of Kakum produced several more Acraea species, the stunning green banded swallowtail Graphium policenes, and the interesting Common Scarlet Axiocerses harpax. The most common species were the Painted Lady Vanessa cardui, and the Plain Tiger Danaus chrysippus.

At Aboabo, on the northern perimeter of Kakum, a dirt road passed through an extensive area of tall primary forest which held many interesting species including the Mother of Pearl, Protogoniomorpha parhassus. Of great interest was a particular flowering bush which seemed to explode with a mass of butterflies as we drove past. Stopping to investigate produced a good variety of Acraea species and Lycaenids, and a remarkable pink mantis.

Boabeng-Fiema monkey sanctuary was possibly the most rewarding site visited, with a wide dirt road through a small remaining patch of primary forest. This reserve is one of several small Sacred Groves which have escaped destruction due to tribal beliefs that the monkeys within them are sacred. At Boabeng-Fiema, when monkeys die they are buried alongside humans in forest graves. The trails produced a great abundance of butterflies, the star species being the beautiful Forester Euphaedra sarcoptera, closely rivalled by the gorgeous black, orange and white Nymphalid Palla decius, and several very attractive Bebearia species. At one spot the ground was littered with small fallen fruits, where as many as 30 Euphaedra and 20 Bebearia were feeding on one occasion.

An insect of great interest was a caterpillar which crawled towards the tip of a leaf, and upon coming to a 'dead end' shuffled backwards a couple of inches, before taking a run and jump to leap across onto another leaf. Amazed by this extraordinary behaviour I continued to watch as the larva repeated the process several times to migrate across the bush.

Bomfobiri was a disappointing site, needing a long hike across rocky terrain to reach a patch of relict forest close to a waterfall. There were several interesting butterflies around, including the wonderfully patterned Guineafowl Hamanumida daedalus, and the beautiful mud-puddling Angolan White Lady Graphium angolanum, but the steep habitat was difficult to work in, and we were plagued by sweat bees which repeatedly tried to enter our ears.

A day trip was arranged to the Owabi sanctuary, a small reservoir ringed by secondary forest. Butterflies here included the stunning iridescent blue Nymphalid Cynandra opis, the intricately marked Satyrine Elymniopsis bammakoo, and Citrinophala marginalis - a tiny yellow Liptenid which fluttered incessantly around the lichen-covered trunks of the Cola trees on which it lays its eggs. 

Our final 5 days were based at the lovely guesthouse in the midst of the Bobiri Forest Reserve. The very long dirt track through tall primary forest produced many gorgeous Euphaedra species, including sarcoptera and the red Euphaedra perseis. Amongst many other stunning species were the unusual green Charaxes eupale, and the very intricately patterned Giant Pasha Charaxes castor. A long walk took us to a marshy area a couple of kilometres along the track which was inhabited by huge swarms of Libythea labdaca, a rather dull species but made interesting by its very long palpi.

Graphium policenes was one of the most beautiful species present, but I was particularly captivated by a magnificent fresh Mother of Pearl Salamis parhassus, which circled around me many times, with its white wings glimmering in shades of purple and green as the sunlight reflected off the upper surface. Definitely my butterfly of the trip. 

On the route back to Accra we paused for a couple of hours at Nkawkaw escarpment, an area of secondary hill forest, where we found several Euphaedra species, a fresh Telipna maesseni, the Acraea Mimic Skipper Fresna netopha, 2 or 3 beautiful blue Hypophytala and a Hewitsonia species.

Almost all of the primary forest which once covered southern Ghana has been cleared for agriculture, or replaced with teak plantations, but the tiny fragments which remain are still amongst the best butterfly habitats in Africa.

Species recorded in Ghana in Sept 2001 and Sept 2003
 
All species listed below were identified by Paul Cardy ( field IDs, using Carcasson as reference ) and by Adrian Hoskins ( photographic IDs using d'Abrera, and Torben Larsen's Butterflies of West Africa ). I also express my thanks to Jon Baker and Torben Larsen for personally checking my records, as a result of which several provisional determinations were re-evaluated. In addition to the taxa listed below, at least a further 20 species were observed, including several Epitola species seen in flight, but these have not been included as accurate identification was not possible.
 

Site

Family

subfamily

Genus

species

Boabeng Fiema

Hesperiidae

Hesperiinae

Acleros

mackenii

Kintampo Falls

Hesperiidae

Hesperiinae

Acleros

ploetzi

Boabeng Fiema

Hesperiidae

Hesperiinae

Acleros

ploetzi

Boabeng Fiema

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

alcinoe

Kakum : Antikwaa

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

alcinoe

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

alcinoe

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

alcinoe

Boabeng Fiema

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

alciope

Kakum : Antikwaa

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

alciope

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

alciope

Owabi

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

alciope

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

alciope

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

aurivillii

Boabeng Fiema

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

aurivillii

Kakum : Antikwaa

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

aurivillii

Owabi

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

aurivillii

Boabeng Fiema

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

circeis

Kakum : Antikwaa

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

circeis

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

circeis

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

egina

Bomfobiri

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

egina

Kakum : Antikwaa

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

egina

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

endoscota

Kakum : Antikwaa

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

endoscota

Boabeng Fiema

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

epaea

Kakum : Antikwaa

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

epaea

Owabi

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

epaea

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

epaea

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

epaea

Boabeng Fiema

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

jodutta

Owabi

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

jodutta

Kakum : Antikwaa

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

jodutta

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

jodutta

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

lycoa

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

neobule

Boabeng Fiema

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

neobule

Nkawkaw escarpment

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

neobule

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

orestia

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

orina

Kakum : Antikwaa

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

parrhasia

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

parrhasia

Kakum : Aboabo

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

parrhasia

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

peneleos

Kakum : Antikwaa

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

penelope

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

penelope

Kakum : Antikwaa

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

perenna

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

perenna

Boabeng Fiema

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

pharsalus

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

pharsalus

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

pharsalus

Techiman Forest

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

polis

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

polis

Owabi

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

polis

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

polis

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

pseudegina

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

pseudegina

Kakum : Antikwaa

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

pseudegina

Boabeng Fiema

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

pseudegina

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

quirina

Kakum : Aboabo

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

rogersi

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

rogersi

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

serena

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

serena

Owabi

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

vestalis

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

vestalis

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

vestalis

Boabeng Fiema

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

vestalis

Kakum : Aboabo

Nymphalidae

Heliconiinae

Acraea

zetes

Owabi

Nymphalidae

Danainae

Amauris

damocles

Kakum : Antikwaa

Nymphalidae

Danainae

Amauris

damocles

Boabeng Fiema

Nymphalidae

Danainae

Amauris

damocles

Kakum : Aboabo

Nymphalidae

Danainae

Amauris

damocles

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Danainae

Amauris

damocles

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Danainae

Amauris

damocles

Kakum : Aboabo

Nymphalidae

Danainae

Amauris

niavius

Boabeng Fiema

Nymphalidae

Danainae

Amauris

niavius

Bomfobiri

Nymphalidae

Danainae

Amauris

niavius

Owabi

Nymphalidae

Danainae

Amauris

niavius

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Danainae

Amauris

niavius

Kakum : Antikwaa

Nymphalidae

Danainae

Amauris

niavius

Techiman Forest

Nymphalidae

Danainae

Amauris

niavius

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Danainae

Amauris

niavius

Kakum : Aboabo

Nymphalidae

Danainae

Amauris

niavius

Boabeng Fiema

Nymphalidae

Danainae

Amauris

tartarea

Techiman Forest

Nymphalidae

Danainae

Amauris

tartarea

Owabi

Nymphalidae

Danainae

Amauris

tartarea

Kakum : Antikwaa

Nymphalidae

Danainae

Amauris

tartarea

Bobiri

Hesperiidae

Hesperiinae

Andronymus

caesar

Boabeng Fiema

Hesperiidae

Hesperiinae

Andronymus

caesar

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Nymphalinae

Antanartia

delius

Kakum : Aboabo

Nymphalidae

Nymphalinae

Antanartia

delius

Bobiri

Lycaenidae

Polyommatinae

Anthene

lachares

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Lycaenidae

Polyommatinae

Anthene

lachares

Boabeng Fiema

Lycaenidae

Polyommatinae

Anthene

larydas

Kakum : Antikwaa

Lycaenidae

Polyommatinae

Anthene

larydas

Techiman Forest

Lycaenidae

Polyommatinae

Anthene

larydas

Kakum : Aboabo

Lycaenidae

Polyommatinae

Anthene

larydas

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Lycaenidae

Polyommatinae

Anthene

larydas

Bobiri

Lycaenidae

Polyommatinae

Anthene

larydas

Nkawkaw escarpment

Lycaenidae

Polyommatinae

Anthene

larydas

Kakum : Antikwaa

Lycaenidae

Polyommatinae

Anthene

lysicles

Kakum : Aboabo

Lycaenidae

Polyommatinae

Anthene

lysicles

Bobiri

Lycaenidae

Polyommatinae

Anthene

lysicles

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Lycaenidae

Polyommatinae

Anthene

lysicles

Bobiri

Lycaenidae

Polyommatinae

Anthene

rubrocinctus

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Lycaenidae

Polyommatinae

Anthene

rubrocinctus

Kakum : Antikwaa

Lycaenidae

Polyommatinae

Anthene

rubrocinctus

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Apaturinae

Apaturopsis

cleochares

Bobiri

Lycaenidae

Lycaeninae

Aphnaeus

orcas

Kakum : Aboabo

Lycaenidae

Lycaeninae

Aphnaeus

orcas

Bobiri

Pieridae

Pierinae

Appias

sabina

Kakum : Antikwaa

Pieridae

Pierinae

Appias

sylvia

Kakum : Aboabo

Pieridae

Pierinae

Appias

sylvia

Boabeng Fiema

Pieridae

Pierinae

Appias

sylvia

Bobiri

Pieridae

Pierinae

Appias

sylvia

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Pieridae

Pierinae

Appias

sylvia

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Biblidinae

Ariadne

albifascia

Kakum : Aboabo

Nymphalidae

Biblidinae

Ariadne

enotrea

Boabeng Fiema

Nymphalidae

Biblidinae

Ariadne

enotrea

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Biblidinae

Ariadne

enotrea

Nkawkaw escarpment

Nymphalidae

Biblidinae

Ariadne

enotrea

Owabi

Nymphalidae

Biblidinae

Ariadne

enotrea

Techiman Forest

Nymphalidae

Biblidinae

Ariadne

enotrea

Kakum : Antikwaa

Nymphalidae

Biblidinae

Ariadne

enotrea

Nkawkaw escarpment

Hesperiidae

Hesperiinae

Astictopterus

anomoeus

Kakum : Antikwaa

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Aterica

galene

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Aterica

galene

Nkawkaw escarpment

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Aterica

galene

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Aterica

galene

Boabeng Fiema

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Aterica

galene

Kakum : Aboabo

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Aterica

galene

Owabi

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Aterica

galene

Techiman Forest

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Aterica

galene

Cape Coast : Winneba

Lycaenidae

Theclinae

Axiocerses

harpax

Kintampo Falls

Lycaenidae

Theclinae

Axiocerses

harpax

Kakum : Antikwaa

Lycaenidae

Theclinae

Axiocerses

harpax

Boabeng Fiema

Lycaenidae

Polyommatinae

Azanus

mirza

Kakum : Aboabo

Lycaenidae

Polyommatinae

Azanus

mirza

Bobiri

Lycaenidae

Polyommatinae

Azanus

mirza

Owabi

Lycaenidae

Polyommatinae

Azanus

mirza

Kakum : Antikwaa

Lycaenidae

Polyommatinae

Azanus

mirza

Kintampo Falls

Lycaenidae

Polyommatinae

Azanus

moriqua

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

abesa

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

abesa

Boabeng Fiema

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

absolon

Techiman Forest

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

absolon

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

barce

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

barce

Techiman Forest

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

carshena

Owabi

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

carshena

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

carshena

Nkawkaw escarpment

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

carshena

Kakum : Antikwaa

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

cocalia

Boabeng Fiema

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

cocalia

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

cocalia

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

cocalia

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

mandinga

Boabeng Fiema

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

mandinga

Kakum : Antikwaa

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

mandinga

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

mardania

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

oxione

Nkawkaw escarpment

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

phantasina

Boabeng Fiema

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

phantasina

Kakum : Antikwaa

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

sophus

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

sophus

Owabi

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

sophus

Boabeng Fiema

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

sophus

Nkawkaw escarpment

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

tentyris

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

tentyris

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

tentyris

Owabi

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

tentyris

Kakum : Aboabo

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

tentyris

Owabi

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

zonara

Boabeng Fiema

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

zonara

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Limenitidinae

Bebearia

zonara

Kakum : Antikwaa

Pieridae

Pierinae

Belenois

calypso

Bobiri

Pieridae

Pierinae

Belenois

calypso

Boabeng Fiema

Pieridae

Pierinae

Belenois

calypso

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Pieridae

Pierinae

Belenois

calypso

Owabi

Pieridae

Pierinae

Belenois

calypso

Techiman Forest

Pieridae

Pierinae

Belenois

calypso

Kakum : Aboabo

Pieridae

Pierinae

Belenois

calypso

Bomfobiri

Pieridae

Pierinae

Belenois

calypso

Bobiri

Pieridae

Pierinae

Belenois

theora

Kakum : Aboabo

Pieridae

Pierinae

Belenois

theora

Kakum : Antikwaa

Nymphalidae

Biblidinae

Biblia

anvatara

Boabeng Fiema

Nymphalidae

Biblidinae

Biblia

anvatara

Owabi

Nymphalidae

Biblidinae

Biblia

anvatara

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Biblidinae

Biblia

anvatara

Techiman Forest

Nymphalidae

Biblidinae

Biblia

anvatara

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Satyrinae

Bicyclus

dorothea

Boabeng Fiema

Nymphalidae

Satyrinae

Bicyclus

dorothea

Kakum : Aboabo

Nymphalidae

Satyrinae

Bicyclus

dorothea

Techiman Forest

Nymphalidae

Satyrinae

Bicyclus

dorothea

Owabi

Nymphalidae

Satyrinae

Bicyclus

dorothea

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Satyrinae

Bicyclus

dorothea

Kakum : Antikwaa

Nymphalidae

Satyrinae

Bicyclus

dorothea

Nkawkaw escarpment

Nymphalidae

Satyrinae

Bicyclus

dorothea

Owabi

Nymphalidae

Satyrinae

Bicyclus

evadne

Kakum : Aboabo

Nymphalidae

Satyrinae

Bicyclus

funebris

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Satyrinae

Bicyclus

funebris

Kintampo Falls

Nymphalidae

Satyrinae

Bicyclus

funebris

Techiman Forest

Nymphalidae

Satyrinae

Bicyclus

funebris

Boabeng Fiema

Nymphalidae

Satyrinae

Bicyclus

funebris

Owabi

Nymphalidae

Satyrinae

Bicyclus

funebris

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Satyrinae

Bicyclus

istaris

Owabi

Nymphalidae

Satyrinae

Bicyclus

istaris

Kakum : Abrafo HQ

Nymphalidae

Satyrinae

Bicyclus

istaris

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Satyrinae

Bicyclus

istaris

Boabeng Fiema

Nymphalidae

Satyrinae

Bicyclus

martius

Bobiri

Nymphalidae

Satyrinae

Bicyclus

martius