Unlike their relatives from temperate zones, the butterflies of tropical Venezuela rarely take nectar from flowers, instead preferring to obtain their sustenance from tree-sap, fungal exudations and rotting fruit; or by imbibing dissolved salts from wet rocks, mammal dung, urine-soaked sand, or bird-droppings. An even stranger method of feeding was observed on this trip however, when a specimen of the incredibly beautiful Blue Doctor Rhetus periander, was seen feeding on the corpse of a giant tarantula on a track alongside the Rio Frio in the Venezuelan Andes !

On one hot day, a host of fascinating and beautiful Nymphalids were attracted to mineral salts on a shaded rock-face. Here we saw the Rusty-tipped Page Siproeta epaphus, the truly beautiful green and brown Siproeta stelenes, the Stinky Leaf-wing Historis odius, the dazzling blue Doxocopa cherubina, and the beautiful red and black Callicore pitheas. A short distance away, Cracker butterflies Hamadryas februa, flitted around the trees, the males producing the unique cracking sound which helps them to differentiate between fellow males and potential mates. 

Further along the track several stunning Skippers were observed, including Jemadia gnetus, banded with metallic turquoise and silver on a black ground colour. Others included Myscelus amystis, with orange-yellow wings beautifully marked with hyaline "windows", Quadrus lugubris, Mylon cajus, and the electric-blue Astraptes alector. 

Tiny dazzling Metalmarks such as the metallic blue Lasaia agesilas settled momentarily on the track, and the very pretty brown and orange Crocozona coecias arctuata, which settled on low foliage, put in an occasional appearance. 

Huge blue Morphos patrolled regularly along the track. Most spectacular amongst these was the sickle-winged Morpho rhetenor, a butterfly whose intense iridescent blue colour almost defies belief. 

The cloudier days encouraged some of the more active species to settle and bask. These included many beautiful Heliconius species, marked with bands of red, cream, and sometimes blue, on a velvet black ground colour. The real treat on the dull days however was to see the enormous Owl butterflies, such as Caligo idomeneus and Caligo atreus, which settled on rotting plantain fruit that Andrew had placed strategically to attract them. The Owl butterflies of course get their name from the feathery pattern and huge black avian eye-spot markings on the undersides of their wings. They have a slow flapping flight, and an attacking bird would have no difficulty in spotting where a Caligo landed. The huge false-eyes therefore probably function as decoys, diverting attack onto the wings and away from the body of the butterfly. This theory seems to be supported by my observations of Owl butterflies with large chunks pecked out of their hindwings. 

Finally came a long road journey to La Gira de Betijoque, near Valera. Initially the site seemed disappointing, as the first part of the forest track went through rural land. Further along the track however things got very exciting, with sightings of the beautiful blue banded Doxocopa clothilda, and several stunning Metalmarks including the black, red and blue Ancyluris huascar, the tiny Red Devil Mesene phareus, and the curious Underleaf Eurybia lycisca, which plays "peek-a-boo", with just it's head and the false-eye on the leading edge of it's forewings protruding from beneath a leaf.

Another curiosity was the Zebra Lycid Arawacus aetolus, marked with black and white zebra stripes, and possessing antenna-like tails on the hindwings. The pattern and positioning of the markings gives the impression that the butterfly is facing left instead of right, an illusion further enhanced by the butterfly's habit of rotating on it's axis instantaneously upon landing. 

There are few areas of the world which can match Venezuela in terms of butterfly diversity, with a staggering 3000 species recorded. The Geodyssey tour allowed us to see and photograph several hundred of these, and to study their often extraordinary behaviour.