Butterflies of Cuba
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    • Species List >
      • Papilionidae : Papilioninae >
        • Battus devilliers - De Villiers' Swallowtail
        • Battus polydamas - Polydamas Swallowtail
        • Heraclides andraemon - Bahaman Swallowtail
        • Heraclides androgeus - Androgeus Swallowtail
        • Heraclides caiguanabus - Poey's Swallowtail
        • Heraclides oviedo - Oviedo's Swallowtail
        • Heraclides oxynius - Cuban Black Swallowtail
        • Heraclides pelaus - Pelaus Swallowtail
        • Heraclides ponceana - Dusky Swallowtail
        • Neographium celadon - Cuban Kite Swallowtail
        • Papilio demoleus - Lime Swallowtail
        • Papilio polyxenes - Black Swallowtail
        • Parides gundlachianus - Gundlach's Swallowtail
        • Pterourus palamedes - Palamedes Swallowtail
        • Pterourus troilus - Spicebush Swallowtail
      • Hesperiidae : Eudaminae >
        • Aguna asander - Gold-spotted Aguna
        • Aguna claxon - Emerald Aguna
        • Autochton potrillo - Potrillo Skipper
        • Cecropterus dorantes - Dorantes Longtial
        • Chioides marmorosa - Cuban Longtail
        • Epargyreus zestos - Zestos Skipper
        • Phocides pigmalion - Mangrove Skipper
        • Polygonus leo - Hammock Skipper
        • Proteides maysi - May's Skipper
        • Proteides mercurius - Cuban Mercurial Skipper
        • Telegonus anausis - Caribbean Yellow-tipped Flasher
        • Telegonus cassander - Cuban Flasher
        • Telegonus cellus - Golden-banded Skipper
        • Telegonus habana - Frosty Flasher
        • Telegonus talus - Green Flasher
        • Telegonus xagua - Antillean Flasher
        • Urbanus proteus - Common Long-tailed Skipper
      • Hesperiidae : Hesperiinae >
        • Asbolis capucinus - Monk Skipper
        • Atalopedes mesogramma - Mesogramma Skipper
        • Calpodes ethlius - Canna Skipper
        • Carystoides mexicana - Mexican Ruby-eye
        • Choranthus radians - Radians Skipper
        • Cymaenes tripunctus - Three-spotted Skipper
        • Euphyes cornelius - Cornelius Skipper
        • Euphyes singularis - Singularis Skipper
        • Holguinia holguin - Holguin Skipper
        • Hylephila phyleus - Fiery Skipper
        • Lerodea eufala - Eufala Skipper
        • Nyctelius nyctelius - Violet-banded Skipper
        • Oarisma bruneri - Bruner's Skipperling
        • Oarisma nanus - Nanus Skipperling
        • Panoquina corrupta - Corrupt Skipper
        • Panoquina lucas - Purple-washed Skipper
        • Panoquina ocola - Ocola Skipper
        • Panoquina panoquinoides - Obscure Skipper
        • Parachoranthus magdalia - Magdalia Skipper
        • Perichares philetes - Caribbean Ruby-eye
        • Polites baracoa - Baracoa Skipper
        • Pyrrhocalles antiqua - Caribbean Skipper
        • Rhinthon cubana - Cuban Rhinthon
        • Saliana esperi - Perching Saliana
        • Synapte malitiosa - Caribbean Faceted Skipper
        • Wallengrenia misera - Cuban Broken-dash
      • Hesperiidae : Pyrginae >
        • Anastrus sempiternus - Common Anastrus
        • Burca braco - Braco Skipper
        • Burca concolor - Concolorous Skipper
        • Burca cubensis - Cuban Skipper
        • Burnsius crisia - Antillean Checkered Skipper
        • Burnsius oileus - Tropical Checkered Skipper
        • Chiomara gundlachi - Gundlach's Duskywing
        • Eantis munroei - Munroe's Sicklewing
        • Eantis papinianus - Cuban Sicklewing
        • Ephyriades brunnea - Florida Duskywing
        • Ephyriades zephodes - Zephodes Duskywing
        • Erynnis zarucco - Zarucco Skipper
        • Gesta gesta - Impostor Duskywing
        • Ouleus fridericus - Fridericus Spreadwing
      • Pieridae : Colladinae >
        • Abaeis nicippe - Sleepy Orange
        • Anteos clorinde - White-angled Sulphur
        • Anteos maerula - Yellow-angled Sulphur
        • Colias eurytheme - Orange Sulphur
        • Eurema amelia - Cuban Yellow
        • Eurema boisduvaliana - Boisduval's Yellow
        • Eurema daira - Barred Yellow
        • Eurema elathea - Banded Yellow
        • Eurema lucina - Smudged Yellow
        • Kricogonia cabrerai - Cuban Sulphur
        • Kricogonia lyside - Lyside Sulphur
        • Nathalis iole - Dainty Sulphur
        • Phoebis agarithe - Large Orange Sulphur
        • Phoebis argante - Apricot Sulphur
        • Phoebis avellaneda - Orange-washed Sulphur
        • Phoebis neleis - Neleis Sulphur
        • Phoebis orbis - Orbis Sulphur
        • Phoebis philea - Orange-barred Sulphur
        • Phoebis sennae - Cloudless Sulphur
        • Phoebis statira - Statira Sulphur
        • Pyrisitia chamberlaini - Chamberlain's Yellow
        • Pyrisitia dina - Bush Sulphur
        • Pyrisitia larae - Confusing Yellow
        • Pyrisitia lisa - Little Yellow
        • Pyrisitia messalina - Whitish Yellow
        • Pyrisitia nise - Mimosa Yellow
        • Pyrisitia proterpia - Tailed Orange
        • Pyrisitia venusta - Pale Yellow
        • Zerene cesonia - Southern Dogface
      • Pieridae : Dismorphiinae >
        • Dismorphia cubana - Cuban Mimic-White
      • Pieridae : Pierinae >
        • Ascia monuste - Great Southern White
        • Ganyra menciae - Cuban White
        • Glutophrissa drusilla - Florida White
        • Melete salacia - Black-striped White
        • Pontia protodice - Checkered White
      • Riodinidae >
        • Dianesia carteri - Caribbean Metalmark
      • Lycaenidae : Polyommatinae >
        • Brephidium exilis - Pygmy Blue
        • Cupido comyntas - Eastern Tailed-Blue
        • Cyclargus ammon - Nickerbean Blue
        • Cyclargus thomasi - Miami Blue
        • Hemiargus ceraunus - Ceraunus Blue
        • Leptotes cassius - Cassius Blue
        • Leptotes hedgesi - Hedges' Blue
        • Pseudochrysops bornoi - Antillean Blue
      • Lycaenidae : Theclinae >
        • Allosmaitia coelebs - Cuban Hairstreak
        • Chlorostrymon maesites - Amethyst Hairstreak
        • Chlorostrymon simaethis - Silver-banded Hairstreak
        • Electrostrymon angelia - Fulvous Hairstreak
        • Eumaeus atala - Atala Hairstreak
        • Ministrymon azia - Grey Ministreak
        • Nesiostrymon celida - Caribbean Hairstreak
        • Strymon acis - Bartram's Scrub-Hairstreak
        • Strymon bazochii - Lantana Scrub-Hairstreak
        • Strymon istapa - Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak
        • Strymon limenia - Limenia Scrub-Hairstreak
        • Strymon martialis - Martial Scrub-Hairstreak
        • Strymon toussainti - Toussaint's Scrub-Hairstreak
      • Nymphalidae : Apaturinae >
        • Asterocampa idyja - Dusky Emperor
        • Doxocopa laure - Silver Emperor
      • Nymphalidae : Biblidinae >
        • Dynamine postverta - Mexican Sailor
        • Dynamine serina - Caribbean Sailor
        • Eunica heraclitus - Cuban Purplewing
        • Eunica monima - Dingy Purplewing
        • Eunica tatila - Florida Purplewing
        • Hamadryas amphinome - Red Cracker
        • Hamadryas februa - Gray Cracker
        • Hamadryas feronia - Variable Cracker
        • Lucinia sida - Caribbean Banner
      • Nymphalidae : Charaxinae >
        • Anaea cubana - Cuban Leafwing
        • Archaeoprepona demophoon - Two-spotted Prepona
        • Cymatogramma echemus - Chestnut Leafwing
        • Hypna clytemnestra - Silver-studded Leafwing
        • Siderone galanthis - Red-striped Leafwing
      • Nymphalidae : Cyrestinae >
        • Marpesia chiron - Many-banded Daggerwing
        • Marpesia eleuchea - Caribbean Daggerwing
      • Nymphalidae : Danainae >
        • Anetia briarea - Many-spotted King
        • Anetia cubana - Cuban King
        • Anetia pantherata - Great King
        • Danaus eresimus - Soldier
        • Danaus gilippus - Queen
        • Danaus plexippus - Monarch
        • Greta cubana - Cuban Clearwing
        • Lycorea halia - Tiger Mimic Queen
      • Nymphalidae : Heliconiinae >
        • Agraulis vanillae - Gulf Fritillary
        • Dryas iulia - Flambeau
        • Eueides isabella - Isabella's Heliconian
        • Euptoieta claudia - Variegated Fritillary
        • Euptoieta hegesia - Mexican Fritillary
        • Heliconius charithonia - Zebra Heliconian
      • Nymphalidae : Libytheinae >
        • Libytheana carinenta - American Snout
        • Libytheana motya - Cuban Snout
        • Libytheana terena - Antillean Snout
      • Nymphalidae Limenitinae >
        • Adelpha iphicleola - Iphicleola Sister
        • Limenitis archippus - Viceroy
      • Nymphalidae : Nymphalinae >
        • Anartia chrysopelea - Cuban Peacock
        • Anartia jatrophae - White Peacock
        • Anthanassa frisia - Cuban Crescent
        • Antillea pelops - Antillean Crescent
        • Atlantea perezi - Cuban Checkerspot
        • Colobura dirce - Mosaic
        • Historis acheronta - Tailed Cecropian
        • Historis odius - Stinky Leafwing
        • Hypanartia paullus - Antillean Mapwing
        • Hypolimnas misippus - The Mimic
        • Junonia coenia - Common Buckeye
        • Junonia neildi - Mangrove Buckeye
        • Junonia zonalis - Tropical Buckeye
        • Phyciodes phaon - Phaon Crescent
        • Polygonia interrogationis - Question Mark
        • Siproeta stelenes - Malachite
        • Vanessa atalanta - Red Admiral
        • Vanessa cardui - Painted Lady
        • Vanessa virginiensis - American Lady
      • Nymphalidae : Satyrinae >
        • Calisto aquilum - Cuban Dark Calisto
        • Calisto bradleyi - Bradley's Calisto
        • Calisto brochei - Broche's Calisto
        • Calisto bruneri - Bruner's Calisto
        • Calisto disjunctus - Western Cuban Calisto
        • Calisto dissimulatum - Mimic Calisto
        • Calisto gundlachi - Gandlach's Calisto
        • Calisto herophile - Cuban Common Calisto
        • Calisto israeli - Israel's Calisto
        • Calisto lastrai - Lastra's Calisto
        • Calisto muripetens - Guamuahaya Calisto
        • Calisto occulta - Hidden Calisto
        • Calisto sharkeyae - Sharkey's Calisto
        • Calisto siguanensis - Sand Calisto
        • Calisto smintheus - Cuban Rusty Calisto
        • Calisto torrei - Torre's Calisto
    • Download Species List
    • Thumbnails >
      • Papilionidae - Swallowtails
      • Hesperiidae - Skippers
      • Pieridae - Whites & Yellows
      • Riodinidae / Lycaenidae - Metalmarks, Hairstreaks & Blues
      • Nymphalidae - Nymphalids
    • Hostplants >
      • Picramnia pentrandra
      • Stachytarpheta jamaicensis
    • Other Wildlife >
      • Mammals
      • Reptiles
      • Amphibians
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      • Odonata
      • Moths >
        • Tineoidea
        • Gelechioidea
        • Alucitoidea
        • Pterophoroidea
        • Schreckensteinioidea
        • Urodoidea
        • Choreutoidea
        • Tortricoidea
        • Sesioidea
        • Zygaenoidea
        • Pyraloidea
        • Lasiocampoidea
        • Bombicoidea
        • Geometroidea
        • Hedyloidea
        • Noctuoidea
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Day 12 - 24 March - A new friend

31/8/2017

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 I don't have a dog, and I hate cats for the appalling damage that they do to our native birds and other wildlife, but if I do ever get a dog it would be one like this. We learned later that her name was Sasha. She was bright enough to know that if she sat outside the restaurant at meal times with a doleful expression that she would get fed scraps. Lynn is always a sucker for this and despite the fact that Sasha was clearly the best fed dog in Cuba, Lynn would always save some tasty bits for her. This led to her following us back to our room each evening and in the morning before breakfast following our scent trail up to the security gate to sit with us while we went through the moth trap that we had left there.
Yesterday we were kindly given permission to leave the moth trap on next to the security gate so at first light Doug and I went up the hill to see what we had caught. We guessed it would be quite good as even during the day we had seen quite a few moths on the walls that had been attracted to the building light that had been left on all night. I've managed to identify a few of them so far and will have to spend more time on the others later. This is just a selection:
Azochis rufidiscalis 24 Mar 2017 Topes © Tim Norriss
Diaphania costata 24 Mar 2017 Topes © Tim Norriss
Patalene olyzonaria 24 Mar 2017 Topes © Tim Norriss
Rhodoneura thiastoralis 24 Mar 2017 Topes © Tim Norriss
Sericoptera virginiaria 24 Mar 2017 Topes © Tim Norriss
UNID moth 24 Mar 2017 Topes © Tim Norriss
UNID moth 24 Mar 2017 Topes © Tim Norriss
24 Mar 2017 Topes © Tim Norriss
Chloropterix paularia 24 Mar 2017 Topes © Tim Norriss
Maruca vitrata 24 Mar 2017 Topes © Tim Norriss
On our walk after breakfast we encountered an Escambray Twig Anole Anolis garridoi making a rather risky crossing of the road. This was a huge find. It is known from only a small area centred on Topes de Collantes and nowhere else in the world. It doesn't get much better then that.
Picture
Cuban Twig Anole Anolis angusticeps 24 Mar 2017 Topes © Tim Norriss
We watched several fresh White Peacock Anartia jatrophae including a female laying on Phylum sp.
White Peacock Anartia jatrophae 24 Mar 2017 Topes © Tim Norriss
White Peacock Anartia jatrophae egg on Phylum sp 24 Mar 2017 Topes © Tim Norriss
And Doug once again managed to find some larvae including a nice Zebra Heliconian Heliconius charithonia.
Orange-barred Sulphur Phoebis philea larva 24 Mar 2017 Topes © Tim Norriss
White-angled Sulphur Anteos clorinde larva 24 Mar 2017 Topes © Tim Norriss
Zebra Heliconian Heliconius charithonia larva 24 Mar 2017 Topes © Tim Norriss
Tropical Buckeye Junonia zonalis 24 Mar 2017 Topes © Tim Norriss
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Day 11 - 23 March - Parque Guanayara

16/8/2017

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Once again our guide for the day was Alex and our driver was Eric. We set off to explore one of the trails in the Parque Guanayara. Our first stop was to see Cuban Parrot and Cuban Crow which both showed well but the lighting wasn't great for photography. We took a lovely walk down the river passing various tranquil pools and waterfalls. It was a bit quiet on the butterfly front though a nice Orange-barred Sulphur Phoebis philea was nectaring on the Black-eyed Susan. And I've managed to identify a new anole for us Blue-eyed Twig Anole Anolis alutaceus. I say 'new' but I'm pretty sure that I've seen this before but am only just starting to get my head around the identification features. I do find the lack of an identification guide quite surprising.
Orange-barred Sulphur Phoebis philea 23 Mar 2017 Guanayara © Tim Norriss
Blue-eyed Twig Anole Anolis alutaceus 23 Mar 2017 Guanayara © Tim Norriss
Picture
After our picnic lunch and as we drove off we bumped into our friend Luis who had come to look for us so he joined us for the afternoon. We stopped at a bend in the road where we had seen Many-spotted King Anetia briarea three years ago but there was no sign of this species. Then Eric called us over to ask us what the butterfly was nectaring on the Ageratum next to the vehicle...
Alex, Luis and Doug
Great find Eric
This caused a few moments of panic as it was an Antillean Mapwing Hypanartia paullus which was new for all of us including Douglas. It is a rare species and what a great find by Eric, Cuba's latest convert to butterfly-watching aficionado. In fact it stayed nectaring on the same flowerhead for twenty minutes and was still there when we left.
Picture
Antillean Mapwing Hypanartia paullus 23 Mar 2017 Guanayara © Tim Norriss
We headed off to another trail and were soon watching a Giant Kingbird. It was building a rather flimsy looking nest in the top of a tree next to the path. It is a bulkier bird than Loggerhead Kingbird with a much larger broader bill.
Giant Kingbird 23 Mar 2017 Guanayara © Tim Norriss
Loggerhead Kingbird 23 Mar 2017 Guanayara © Tim Norriss
Picture
Limpkins 23 Mar 2017 Guanayara © Tim Norriss
A pair of Limpkins feeding amongst the young coffee bushes seemed slightly incongruous but further down the path several Atala Hairstreak Eumaeus atala were flying. I spotted the foodplant, a cicad close by, and on turning over a leaf found several atala eggs stuck to the underside. In may ways atala are unlike any other hairstreaks with which I'm familiar though of course there may be other similar ones in mainland America. Although the larvae are typical of a hairstreak, the adults lack tails, have aposematic coloration and females leave hairs from their anal tufts on the eggs as a form of protection. The eggs contain significant amounts of the toxin cycasin sequestered from the foodplant and passed on through each stage of the life cycle. The anal tuft hairs left on the eggs have been shown to be aposematic to warn off potential predators.
Atala Hairstreak Eumaeus atala male 23 Mar 2017 Guanayara © Tim Norriss
Atala Hairstreak Eumaeus atala eggs 23 Mar 2017 Guanayara © Tim Norriss
Alex showed us the tree on which he often sees a Cuban Knight Anole Anolis equestris and told us that during the winter it didn't come out much from the hole in which it hides. During this period it remained brown and only gained the green colouration during the summer. It was very wary and I only managed a couple of pictures before it slowly lowered itself down out of view. I've since had it suggested to me, and it seems very plausible, this is a female and that she is guarding her eggs at this time. Anoles have a remarkable ability to change colour, sometimes quite quickly, and of course it would be to a females advantage to turn a cryptic brown colour whilst holed up like this.
Picture
Cuban Knight Anole Anolis equestris winter 23 Mar 2017 Guanayara © Tim Norriss
Alex also showed us the introduced Bullfrog - we had heard this once before at Soroa, it sounds like a bull bellowing. We saw a few Purple Bluet Enellagma coecum by the river and were surprised by a Cuban Treefrog Osteopilus septentrionalis that crashed to the ground beside us from high in a tree above. What caused it to fall we don't know but it seemed to have injured itself doing so so seemed unlikely to survive long.
Purple Bluet Enellagma coecum male 23 Mar 2017 Guanayara © Tim Norriss
Cuban Treefrog Osteopilus septentrionalis 23 Mar 2017 Guanayara © Tim Norriss
A small larva, probably second instar, of a Cuban Rhinthon Rhinthon cubana in a larval shelter found by Doug, proved to be parasitised unfortunately.
Cuban Rhinthon Rhinthon cubana larva 23 Mar 2017 Guanayara © Tim Norriss
Cuban Rhinthon Rhinthon cubana feeding damage 23 Mar 2017 Guanayara © Tim Norriss
Cuban Rhinthon Rhinthon cubana larval shelter 23 Mar 2017 Guanayara © Tim Norriss
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Day 10 - 22 March - Topes de Collantes

8/8/2017

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The day was spent walking the roads and trails around the hotel. We had clear but brief views of Many-spotted King Anetia briarea which was our only sighting of the trip, as was a Cuban Crescent Anthanassa frisia and a Hammock Skipper Polygonus leo.
Picture
Cuban Crescent Anthanassa frisia 22 Mar 2017 Topes de Collantes © Tim Norriss
We also saw Fiery Skipper Hylephila phyleus and many of the commoner species plus the beautiful Orange-washed Sulphur Phoebis avellaneda. The larvae of this and Orange-barred Sulphur Phoebis philea were fairly common in the area on the Senna spectabilis but often didn't live long due to predation by birds. The larger larvae were easy to distinguish but when not in the final two instars they are not so easy, though in truth this is probably just because I haven't worked out the definitive features yet when they are smaller. I think these two are P. philea from the pattern of the spots though I may be wrong as the blueish tinge along the flanks is more indicative of P. avellaneda. The one on the right has been parasitised - you can see the parasites cocoon next to it.
There was also a Boisduval's Yellow Eurema boisduvaliana larva and on searching a palm Doug found a Monk Skipper Asbolis capucinus pupa in a shelter between two fronds attached together with silk - note the tell-tale feeding damage on the adjacent fronds.
Picture
Boisduval's Yellow Eurema boisduvaliana larva 22 Mar 2017 Topes de Collantes © Tim Norriss
Monk Skipper Asbolis capucinus pupa 22 Mar 2017 Topes de Collantes © Tim Norriss
Monk Skipper Asbolis capucinus pupal shelter 22 Mar 2017 Topes de Collantes © Tim Norriss
A Fiery Skipper Hylephila phyleus was nectaring on the Bidens and Doug found a small larva of the Zebra Heliconian Heliconius charithonia on a Passiflora tendril.
Fiery Skipper Hylephila phyleus 22 Mar 2017 Topes de Collantes © Tim Norriss
Zebra Heliconian Heliconius charithonia larva 22 Mar 2017 Topes de Collantes © Tim Norriss
Four Cuban Parrots flew over and settled for a while in a distant tree and as we were walking back up the hill to the hotel a female Northern Flicker flew down and started feeding on ants on the verge in front of us. These birds are fairly common residents in forested areas. This bird lacks the black moustachial stripe that the males have.
Northern Flicker 22 Mar 2017 Topes de Collantes © Tim Norriss
Northern Flicker 22 Mar 2017 Topes de Collantes © Tim Norriss
Checking the lights around the hotel produced just one noctuid moth on the reception ceiling. I'm pretty sure it is Renodes aequalis but there is another species of Renodes on Cuba called R. eupithecioides and I can't find any pictures of this to check.
Picture
Renodes aequalis 22 Mar 2017 Topes de Collantes © Tim Norriss
I read an interesting quote from Prof. Jonathan Losos recently. He is Professor and Curator of Herpetology at the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University. It reads "I've spent my entire professional career studying anoles and have discovered that the more I learn about anoles, the more I realize I don't know."
Now that makes me feel a whole lot better because I'm still struggling to identify some of the common widespread species of Cuba. Every time I think I've got something clear in my mind something else pops up that throws that into doubt. This is in no small part due to the lack of any good literature on the subject. What is needed is a really good field guide. Perhaps there is one but if so I can't find any reference to it though there has certainly been discussion of one being in production.
I think that this is Cuban Coast Anole Anolis jubar due to the crest along the back and the orange dewlap.
Picture
Anolis jubar Cuban Coast Anole 22 Mar 2017 Topes de Collantes © Tim Norriss
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