Butterflies of
Mexico
White-centred
Bent Skipper
Theagenes
aegides
HERRICH-SCHAFFER, 1869
Family - HESPERIIDAE
subfamily -
PYRGINAE
Tribe
- PYRGINI
introduction
|
habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
Theagenes aegides,
Oaxaca, Mexico.
( image
courtesy © Tony Hoare )
Introduction
This
is one of the most distinctive skippers in the neotropics, easily recognised by
the large pure white circular patches on the hindwings, and the cryptic
forewings, the apex of which is angled downwards when the butterfly is basking
or at rest.
There are 2 other species
in the genus :
Theagenes albiplaga,
a very similar species from South America;
and dichrous,
which lacks the white patches, and occurs in Argentina and southern Brazil.
Theagenes aegides
is found from Colombia to Mexico.
Habitats
This species
occurs in disturbed, open habitats including roadsides and
agricultural land, at altitudes between about 1500-2000 metres.
Lifecycle
The
lifecycle appears to be unrecorded. Generally, Pyrgine butterflies lay their
eggs singly on either the upperside or underside of leaves. The larvae are
typically dull green or brownish, with thin longitudinal lines along the back
and sides, and with black shiny heads. They feed typically on low growing
herbaceous plants, but a small percentage feed on the leaves of bushes or trees.
The pupae are usually dark and smooth, with the wing cases in a contrasting tone
or colour. They are normally formed within silken tents formed by spinning
together the leaves of the foodplant.
Adult behaviour
The butterfly is usually
encountered singly, or occasionally in two's or three's, and is
only active in hot sunshine.
Males fly very
rapidly, circling and zig-zagging in a very erratic fashion just above the surface of the
ground. They periodically settle to imbibe moisture from damp
sand, with wings outspread, but after a moment or two the
forewings are drawn partially over the hindwings to conceal the
white patches. This is presumably a case of flash-colouration,
whereby an avian predator chasing after a butterfly with
conspicuous white patches is suddenly left confused as the
butterfly effectively disappears after covering the hindwings.
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