Mesotaenia vaninka doris, Tatama NP, Colombia – Adrian Hoskins
Introduction
The genus Mesotaenia comprises 2 known species – barnesi from Costa Rica, and vaninka which is distributed from Colombia and Venezuela to Peru.
Mesotaenia are very closely related to Perisama, and in common with the latter the butterflies are cloudforest dwellers. They are most often encountered at altitudes between 1200-2000m although they can occasionally be found as low as 800m or as high as 2400m.
They are small-medium sized butterflies, characterised by having dark brown uppersides, marked with diagonal bands of metallic turquoise on the forewings, and a band of the same colour around the margins of the hindwings. The undersides of both species are silvery white, marked with a pair of thin black lines and a series of small black dots.
Mesotaenia vaninka is found in Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.
Mesotaenia vaninka doris, Tatama NP, Colombia – Adrian Hoskins
Habitats
This species is found on the eastern slope of the Andes, at altitudes between about 800-2400m.
Lifecycle
To be completed.
Mesotaenia vaninka doris, Tatama NP, Colombia – Adrian Hoskins
Adult behaviour
Like Perisama species, the butterflies spend the early mornings and late afternoons settled high in the trees, but become very active in mid-morning, dashing back and forth between the tree tops and the surface of the ground.
This species is normally seen in two’s and three’s when imbibing mineralised moisture from damp roadsides, sandy riverbanks etc.
Mesotaenia vaninka doris, Catarata de Tirol, La Merced, Peru – Adrian Hoskins