Introduction
There are 1100 known species of Satyrinae in the neotropical region. About 400 of these are placed in the Euptychiina. Butterflies within this tribe include the ‘ringlet’ genera Euptychia, Magneuptychia, Harjesia, Cissia, Caeruleuptychia, Magneuptychia, etc.; together with Oressinoma and the various ‘wood nymph’ genera i.e. Parataygetis, Posttaygetis, and Taygetis. Most are inhabitants of the forest understorey and tend to fly close to the ground. They generally avoid sunlight and prefer to fly at dawn or on cloudy days when light levels and temperatures are low.
Until fairly recently almost all of the ‘ringlets’ were placed in the genus Euptychia but revisions by Forster and Lamas divide this convenience genus into a number of smaller genera, on the basis of anatomical differences and larval foodplants. The redefined genus Euptychia now contains only 29 species, 16 of which have been discovered since 2002.
Euptychia jesia is found from Mexico to Ecuador.
Habitats
The butterfly occurs in wet tropical rainforest at elevations between 0-600m.
Lifecycle
The egg is smooth, globular and laid singly. The fully grown caterpillar is green, mottled with darker and lighter green. It is covered with fleshy warts, and is wonderfully well camouflaged as it rests on the leaves or stems of its foodplant spikemoss Selaginella ( Selaginellaceae ).
Adult behaviour
Euptychia jesia is usually seen along forest trails, and prefers flying in dappled sunlight. During the heat of the day, the butterflies hide away in shady areas of undergrowth. Normally they keep their wings firmly closed when at rest, but immediately after ovipositing females commonly bask for a few minutes with their wings fully outspread.