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
      • Birds
      • Odonata
      • Moths >
        • Tineoidea
        • Gelechioidea
        • Alucitoidea
        • Pterophoroidea
        • Schreckensteinioidea
        • Urodoidea
        • Choreutoidea
        • Tortricoidea
        • Sesioidea
        • Zygaenoidea
        • Pyraloidea
        • Lasiocampoidea
        • Bombicoidea
        • Geometroidea
        • Hedyloidea
        • Noctuoidea
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Day 1 - 21 Sept - Guardalavaca

30/12/2016

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Our latest trip to Cuba in September and October 2016 to the Luna y Mares Hotel near Guardalavaca was a quieter trip than in June because apart from a three-day trip to Camagüey and a day trip to Gibara our time was spent within just a few miles of our hotel. The quantity of butterflies was quite low compared to previous visits as it had been quite dry but we still managed to see 85 species and made some exciting discoveries. The grass around the hotel gardens was quite short and didn't need cutting while we were there though it did rain towards the end of our stay. The grass in the gardens however wasn't as short as it was at the nearby sewage works though this was because they now have a herd of goats grazing it which is a shame as it now resembles a billiard table and is of no ecological value at all. The pools themselves still held the usual mix of waders and today there was 20 Black-necked Stilts, 1 Solitary Sandpiper and 8 Killdeer.
Picture
Sewage works 21 Sept 2016
At the main lagoon (not part of the sewage works) there was an Osprey, 3 Anhinga and the usual herons and egrets and several Least Grebe with half-grown stripy-headed young. There were also several Cuban Martin which is something we do not see very often. There were more flying above the restaurant at breakfast and I thought I would leave it till later in the holiday before trying to get some pictures of them – bad move as we only saw them for the first couple of days and then only once thereafter. It was the same with Orange-barred Sulphur Phoebis philea which were very common for the first two days followed by singles up to the 26 September and then we saw none after that. A male Little Yellow Pyrisitia lisa was quartering the grass and when it settled I realised it had been attracted by the pheromones of a female that had just emerged and was still inflating her wings. It took a further couple of minutes for them to inflate fully.
Smudged Yellow Eurema lucina were common throughout the holiday and as they never settle with their wings open I spent a while trying to get pictures of the upperside in flight.
Picture
Smudged Yellow Eurema lucina 21 Sep 2016 Guardalavaca © Tim Norriss
We spent the day walking the trails in the woods and fields around the hotel. The field opposite the entrance was in good condition with Stachytarpheta in flower so there were several skipper species including Fiery Skipper Hylephila phyleus which we hadn't recorded in the area before.
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Dragonflies of Cuba

30/12/2016

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I was recently sent some good photos of Cuban dragonflies by Heinrich Schiess which I have now added to the website. This prompted me go through my own pictures too so I have added these as well following some very useful help on identification from Heinrich's friend Jürg De Marmels from Venezuela for which I am very grateful. This means that about 20% of the Cuban species are now featured here. I am just compiling a first draft of the list of Cuban dragonflies and will load this in the next few days. You can view the pictures by clicking on Species > Other Wildlife > Odonata. Thank you again to Heiri and Jürg for their help and if any readers have good photos of Odonata taken in Cuba I would be happy to include them.
Brachymesia furcata male 26 Nov 2016 Trinidad, La Boca © Heinrich Schiess
Crocothemis servilia male 25 Nov 2016 Cueva de los Peces © Heinrich Schiess
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Day 14 - 28 June - Holguin Hill of the Cross

7/12/2016

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For our last night we stayed again at the wonderful Refugio de Reyes Guesthouse in Holguin (the best place to stay in the city imho). Two week holidays go all too quickly and it was soon time to say our goodbyes to Doug who had been a great companion and friend during the trip not to mention a great source of knowledge. Our thanks go to him and to our excellent driver Leandro as between them they had made the trip.
We spent our last couple of hours on top of the Hill of the Cross (Loma de la Cruz) overlooking the city. On our previous visit we had walked up and down the 458 steps but on this occasion Leandro drove us to the top. There had been a few changes here and a small restaurant had been built by the cross, and many of the Lantana bushes which had had lots of butterflies nectaring had been removed which was a shame. We still saw twenty butterfly species there with small numbers of Chestnut Leafwing Cymatogramma echemus, Florida Purplewing Eunica tatila and Gray Cracker Hamadryas februa amongst others all flying in a north-westerly direction over the summit. Some new flowering shrubs had been planted which attracted several De Villiers' Swallowtails Battus devilliers which were surprisingly aware of my presence and each time I went to one side of the bush it would go the other.
Battus devilliers 28 Jun 2016 Holguin Hill of the Cross © Tim Norriss
What a great trip. 113 species of butterflies and 44 of these also recorded as immature stages! All this plus some excellent birds and several new reptiles. Thank you Doug and Leandro.
Picture
Doug, me, Lynn and Leandro
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Day 13 - 27 June - juragua

6/12/2016

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We went a short way along the coast to the east this morning to a beach at Juragua and explored the coast and scrub. On the way there a pair of Limpkin were having a fight on the side of the road. We stopped and I got a few rapid shots of one before it disappeared from view. They are long-legged water birds that are widespread in swamps and marshes where they feed mainly on snails and other invertebrates.
Picture
Limpkin 27 Jun 2016 Juragua © Tim Norriss
There were quite a few families partying on the beach but the scrub behind produced some nice things including several Concolorous Skipper Burca concolor and Banded Yellow Eurema elathea.
Burca concolor male 27 Jun 2016 Juragua © Tim Norriss
Eurema elathea female 27 Jun 2016 Juragua © Tim Norriss
Doug then proceeded to find a whole host of eggs and larvae that I'm sure I would have missed. A male Queen Danaus gilippus was nectaring on flowers and there were a few eggs on the Calotropis procera plants. We spent some time searching the succulent Sesuvium near the tide-line for Pygmy Blue Brephidium exilis larvae but all we found was eggs. There were also larvae of Gulf Fritillary Agraulis vanillae, Mexican Fritillary Euptoieta hegesia, Zarucco Skipper Erynnis zarucco and Sleepy Orange Abaeis nicippe.
Queen Danaus gilippus egg 27 Jun 2016 Juragua © Tim Norriss
Queen Danaus gilippus male 27 Jun 2016 Juragua © Tim Norriss
Pygmy Blue Brephidium exilis eggs 27 Jun 2016 Juragua © Tim Norriss
27 Jun 2016 Juragua © Tim Norriss
Gulf Fritillary Agraulis vanillae 27 Jun 2016 Juragua © Tim Norriss
Gulf Fritillary Agraulis vanillae Dec 2014 Guardalavaca © Tim Norriss
Mexican Fritillary Euptoieta hegesia 27 Jun 2016 Juragua © Tim Norriss
Mexican Fritillary Euptoieta hegesia Dec 2014 Guardalavaca © Tim Norriss
Zarucco Skipper Erynnis zarucco 27 Jun 2016 Juragua © Tim Norriss
Zarucco Skipper Erynnis zarucco Jun 2016 El Yunque © Tim Norriss
Sleepy Orange Abaeis nicippe 27 Jun 2016 Juragua © Tim Norriss
Sleepy Orange Abaeis nicippe Jun 2015 Guanahacabibes © Tim Norriss
We made further stops on our way back to Holguin and at one in a small clearing near the road we saw Antillean Flasher Astraptes xagua nectaring on Stachytarpheta and an Arctiidae moth called Cydosia nobilitella that we had not come across before. 
Antillean Flasher Astraptes xagua 27 Jun 2016 Juragua © Tim Norriss
Cydosia nobilitella 27 Jun 2016 Juragua © Tim Norriss
Picture
Tropical Buckeye Junonia zonalis 27 Jun 2016 Juragua © Tim Norriss
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