Introduction
There are 3 Gnophodes species – grogani which is found in Uganda, Congo and Rwanda; betsimena which occurs across most of sub-Saharan Africa; and chelys which is distributed across the forested regions from Sierra Leone to western Kenya.
The butterflies (together with the allied genus Melanitis) are commonly known as Evening Browns due to their preference for flying after dark. During the daytime they hide away amongst herbage in the forest understorey.
Habitats
Gnophodes betsimena is a forest butterfly but it can be found in degraded forest and plantations.
Lifecycle
The larval foodplant is the grass Ehrharta erecta.
Adult behaviour
Gnophodes are normally encountered singly when disturbed from their roosting places among the forest undergrowth. They fly mainly at dusk and dawn.
