Introduction
The Nymphalinae includes many of the most well known and beautiful Palaearctic butterflies such as the Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta, Painted Lady Vanessa cardui, Camberwell Beauty Nymphalis antiopa, Comma Polygonia c-album, and Peacock Inachis io. Among the neotropical representatives are Colobura, Smyrna, Napeocles, Siproeta, Baeotus, Historis, Junonia, Anartia and Hypanartia.
There are 14 Hypanartia species, all of which occur primarily in the subtropical climes of the Andean cloudforests and the Cordilleras of Central America.
Hypanartia cinderella is found in Ecuador and Peru.
Habitats
This is butterfly of the higher cloudforest regions, found at altitudes between about 1000-2100m.
Lifecycle
The eggs are white. They are laid singly on the leaves of the foodplant, Pilea ( Urticaceae ). The larva is black and lustrous. It’s back is adorned with branched black spikes on the thoracic and tail segments, and white spikes on the middle segments. It lives solitarily within a tent of leaves, spun together with silk. It periodically emerges from the tent to feed. The chrysalis is formed within the larval tent, and is greyish, marked on the thorax with silver spots.
Adult behaviour
Males habitually visit runnels and seepages along roadsides, and the wet rocky edges of mountain streams. They flit nervously from spot to spot until they find a patch of ground rich in dissolved minerals, where they drink, while periodically fanning their wings. After a few moments they usually close the wings, but will bask with wings outspread if mist or cloud obscures the sunlight.