Introduction

To be completed.

Habitats

To be completed.

Lifecycle

To be completed.

Adult

To be completed.

Introduction

The genus Euphaedra is comprised of a yet to be determined number of large and beautiful forest-dwelling butterflies, all found on the African continent. In 1997 Hecq revised the genus and at that time listed a total of 180 species. This figure is challenged by other workers who believe that many of these are merely local forms or subspecies. However in 2012 Hecq produced a further revision of the eleus species-group, describing an additional 12 species, bringing the total in the genus to 192.

When working in the field it is immediately obvious that there are a huge number of specimens that are noticeably dissimilar to any of the insects illustrated by Hecq but it is unclear whether these are examples of intra-specific variation, distinct taxa or hybrids.

All Euphaedra species share a common wing shape. Most have a similar pattern on the upperside – typically the basal areas of the wings (particularly the hindwings) have large suffused patches of metallic blue, green, orange, or red. Most species also have a cream or orange sub-apical bar. The undersides are usually some shade of yellow or green, marked with black spots and streaks that vary in intensity and configuration according to taxon and locality. Many species also have beautiful pink patches or streaks on the underside hindwings.

The Euphaedra larva depicted above has not yet been identified but adults of ceres, medon, hebes, edwardsii, eleus, eupalus, and themis are regularly recorded at the site where it was photographed. Euphaedra themis and Euphaedra eleus are both illustrated below:

Habitats

This larva was found in rainforest at an elevation of about 200m.

Lifecycle

The larvae of all Euphaedra species are green, and adorned with long multi-branched lateral spines which are appressed to the leaf on which they are resting. The lateral spines are extremely efficient at breaking up the outline of the larva and hiding its shadow – a feature found in many Limenitidinae larvae, and presumed to have evolved for camouflage purposes. It is puzzling therefore that larva also has conspicuous yellow and pink markings that have the opposite effect. It seems unlikely that the spines serve a defensive function, as the exposed dorsal surface is very vulnerable to attacks from parasitoid wasps.

Adult

All Euphaedra species share a common wing shape. Most have a similar pattern on the upperside – typically the basal areas of the wings (particularly the hindwings) have large suffused patches of metallic blue, green, orange, or red. Most species also have a cream or orange sub-apical bar. The undersides are usually some shade of yellow or green, marked with black spots and streaks that vary in intensity and configuration according to taxon and locality. Many species also have beautiful pink patches or streaks on the underside hindwings.

Introduction

In excess of 100 larvae of the illustrated species were found feeding on a young sapling growing in mid-elevation cloudforest near Satipo, Peru. All were fully grown, or nearly so, and many were in the process of wandering down the tree trunk in search of pupation sites.

Habitats

This species was found in transitional rainforest / cloudforest habitat, at an altitude of 600m.

Lifecycle

The pupa shown below was one of many found on the walls of a nearby farm building. Others were clustered together in groups of a dozen or so, hanging from concrete structures. None of the larvae pupated on the tree. The pupae were suspended by the cremaster without the support of a silken girdle which indicates that the species is a member of the Nymphalidae.

Adult

To be completed.

Introduction

This unidentified larva appears to be a member of the Lasiocampidae, or possibly Lymantridae.

Habitats

This larva, which appears to be fully grown and measured about 6 cms in length, was found beside a forest trail, at an altitude of about 1200m.

Lifecycle

To be completed.

Adult

To be completed.

Introduction

There are about 220 species in the family Megalopygidae, the vast majority of which are found in the neotropics, with a few representatives in North America and Africa.

Virtually all the species have bizarre and often very beautiful caterpillars, often covered in a dense layer of hair, but the adult moths are dull in comparison.

Habitats

This species inhabits rainforest, elevation unspecified.

Lifecycle

The fluffy caterpillar looks “friendly” enough to pick up, but to do so would be unwise. Hidden under the soft hairs are poisonous spines which pierce the skin and can cause an extreme allergic reaction resulting in rashes, blisters, inflammation, and breathing difficulty.

Adult

Adults of Megalopygidae are generally sombre in colour, although there are a few exceptions with yellow wings or red abdomens. Their wings are small in relation to their wide muscular thorax and long furry abdomen. The antennae are pectinate and conspicuous – some genera such as Norape and Aithorape have orange or bright red antennae contrasting with pure white wings. The Podalia species illustrated below however is more typical of the family as a whole.

Introduction

To be completed.

Habitats

To be completed.

Lifecycle

To be completed.

Adult

To be completed. 

Introduction

To be completed.

Habitats

To be completed.

Lifecycle

To be completed.

Adult

To be completed. 

Heraclides thoas, Rio Claro, Colombia – Adrian Hoskins

Introduction

The subfamily Papilioninae comprises about 550 species of worldwide distribution, and includes the Swallowtails, and the Dragontails and giant Birdwings of south-east Asia. Heraclides thoas is distributed from Mexico to Bolivia and Argentina, and occurs as a rare stray in the southern United States.

Habitats

This species is migratory in nature and found in many different habitats including tropical rainforest, cloud forest, humid deciduous forest, orchards, and suburban zones at altitudes between sea level and about 1600m.

Lifecycle

The eggs are laid singly on leaves and stems of the larval food plants, or on nearby plants, along forest edges, roadsides, and riverbanks. The larvae feed primarily on Piper, but also possibly on Zanthoxylum, Citrus, and Ptelea, although larvae found on these plants are more likely to be the very closely related cresphontes.

The young thoas larva is dull in color, and similar in appearance to a bird dropping. In common with other Papilionidae larvae, it is equipped with an extrusible forked appendage – the osmaterium, which is situated behind the head. This is everted if the larva is molested, and gives off a noxious pheromone containing isobutyric acid, which is believed to be used as a defense against ants. When fully grown, the larva loses the warty tubercles and becomes pale green, with extensive areas of white on the thoracic and anal segments.

Adult

The adult is black, marked with broken bands of cream, and has fluted tails on the hindwings. It is extremely similar in appearance to Heraclides cresphontes, and can only be distinguished from it with certainty by examination of the abdominal tip. H. cresphontes, however, has a more northerly distribution, being found from Canada to Colombia.

Heraclides thoas, Satipo, Peru – Adrian Hoskins

Introduction

The superfamily Zygaenoidea is represented in the neotropical region by the families Limacodidae, Megalopygidae, Dalceridae, Epipyropidae, and Zygaenidae.

The Limacodidae is one of the most interesting of the Lepidopteran families. The adult moths have long abdomens and huge thick finger-like legs. When freshly emerged, they have a glossy satin-like appearance and often exhibit rich purplish-red tones, but these tend to quickly fade to a dull brown.

The number of species in the genus Acharia is undetermined because it is regarded as synonymous with Sibine by some workers. Sibine (sensu lato) comprises about 51 species, distributed from the southern states of the USA to Brazil and Peru.

Acharia nesea is found from Mexico to Peru.

Habitats

This species inhabits rainforest at elevations between about 200-800m.

Lifecycle

Limacodid larvae are among the most extraordinary insects on the planet. Phobetron, for example, are bright orange and have extremely long curved lateral protruberances, each of which creates the illusion that it is an individual caterpillar rather than an appendage of a single one. Sibine larvae are typically bright green with a large purplish ‘saddle’ ringed with white. In common with Archaria, they are armed with conical fleshy horns that bear tussocks of stinging hairs which can inflict severe pain.

In Archaria nesea, the white spots usually form a contiguous line which runs along the side of the larva and loops over its back to produce a white-edged ‘saddle’. It is therefore uncertain whether the illustrated larva is a form of nesea, or a different species. The prolegs of Acharia and other Limacodids are reduced to form small suckers.

Being unable to walk normally, they lay down a cushion of lubricant on which they glide in a slug-like manner. The pupa is formed within a hard cocoon which has a circular escape hatch formed along a line of weakness. Prior to emergence, the pupa forces the hatch open to allow the moth to escape.

Adult

The adult moths have massive abdomens and huge thick finger-like legs. Freshly emerged adults have a shiny satin-like appearance and often exhibit rich purplish-red tones, but these tend to quickly fade to a dull brown.

unidentified moth larva, Rio Madre de Dios, 400m, Peru – Adrian Hoskins

Introduction

To be completed.

Habitats

To be completed.

Lifecycle

To be completed.

Adult

To be completed.