Introduction
The subfamily Pyrginae are characterised by their habit of basking with wings outspread, compared to the half-open position favoured by the Hesperiinae.
The tribe Eudamini includes 44 genera in the Americas, amongst which are the Long-tailed Skippers Urbanus, Chioides and Aguna; and other familiar genera including Phocides, Autochton, Astraptes and Calaenorrhinus.
The genus Bungalotis comprises of 10 species, found variously from Mexico to Brazil and Peru. They are medium-large sized butterflies, with red eyes, and very long antennae. Males of most of the species are quite similar to midas, although erythus differs completely, being dark olive-brown with a very distinctive pattern of hyaline spots on fore and hind wings. In all species the males have a very pronounced androconial fold on the costa of the forewings.
Bungalotis females are very different in appearance to the males, so much so that it is difficult for novices to believe they belong to the same genus. Their wings have a dark olive ground colour, and are marked with series of large hyaline spots that link together to form a broad diagonal band on the forewings.
Bungalotis midas is distributed from Mexico to Peru and southern Brazil.
Habitats
This species is found in tropical and subtropical forest at altitudes between about 100-1200m.
Lifecycle
To be completed.
Adult behaviour
Bungalotis are crepuscular in behaviour, flying for only a short period around dusk. They have a rapid coursing flight, low over the ground, and are impossible to identify until they settle to feed. They tend to be seen as singletons amidst small aggregations of Nascus, Porphyrogenes and other crepuscular species.