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Butterflies of
the Andes
Keferstein's Admiral
Hypanartia
kefersteini
DOUBLEDAY, 1847
Family -
NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
NYMPHALINAE
Tribe - NYMPHALINI
introduction
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habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
Hypanartia
kefersteini, Manu cloudforest, 2000m, Peru
Introduction
The
tribe Nymphalini includes many of the most well known and beautiful Palaearctic
Nymphalines such as the Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta,
the Comma
Polygonia c-album,
the Painted Ladies
Vanessa
sp, the Camberwell Beauty / Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa,
and the Peacock
Inachis io.
In the neotropics the tribe is represented by the genera
Nymphalis,
Polygonia,
Vanessa
and
Hypanartia.
The genus Hypanartia
includes 14 species, all of which occur primarily in the temperate climes of the
Andean cloudforests and the Cordilleras of Central America. A very closely
related, and possibly synonymous genus Antanartia
occurs in Africa.
Hypanartia kefersteini
occurs from Mexico to southern Peru.
Hypanartia
kefersteini, Manu cloudforest, 1700m, Peru
Habitats
This is butterfly of the higher cloudforest regions, found at altitudes between
about 1000-2100m.
Lifecycle
The eggs are white, and laid singly on the leaves of the
foodplant,
Pilea
( Urticaceae ).
The caterpillar 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. In common with Vanessa
sp, 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.
Hypanartia
kefersteini, Manu cloudforest, 1700m, Peru
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.
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