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 12 – 27 June – Soroa

3/9/2015

 
Soroa is a wonderful place for wildlife. We were up early for a walk around the gardens to see what birds were about first thing. I spent some tome photographing both west Indian Woodpecker and Northern Flicker that were finding insects probably ants along the edge of the paths and at the base of one particular tree Roystonea regia or Royal Palm, the national tree of Cuba. Many of the trees in the hotel grounds are huge, this one included.
Northern Flicker © Tim Norriss
West Indian Woodpecker © Tim Norriss
On our previous visit here we had spent an afternoon in the Orchid Garden next door but the weather wasn’t great and we had therefore seen few butterflies. We had previously been told that the area at the top hill behind the Orchidarium was excellent so we planned to go up in the vehicle and walk down looking to see what we could find on the way. The view at the top was fabulous and while waiting for the weather to warm up a little we found several Sleepy Orange Abaeis nicippe larvae.
Soroa hilltop view
Sleepy Orange Abaeis nicippe larva 27 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
At the top here I also found a larval shelter on a low plant about a foot off the ground which when opened we thought was Common Long-tailed Skipper Urbanus proteus. It was only a few days ago when going through and checking the pictures that I started having doubts - especially the hairy head that just didn't seem right. A few emails with the guys in Cuba and it looks like we seriously slipped up at the time. It looks like the larva of the the rare and endemic Cuban Longtail Chioides marmorosa! If you click here you can read more about this fabulous butterfly that was only rediscovered in 1993 and for which larvae were first found in 2014. If I had realised that at the time I would have kept it and bred it through to be sure and the plant it was on doesn't appear to be Hebestigma cubense which adds to the mystery. Maybe it is just a Common Long-tailed Skipper Urbanus proteus larva as they are very similar. An attractive Pyralid Diaphania sp. was sitting in the grass. It was a female and releasing pheromones to attract a mate.
Diaphania sp 27 Jan 2015 © Tim Norriss
Chioides marmorosa Cuban Longtail 27 Jan 2015 © Tim Norriss
As soon as the temperature rose a little there were Dusky Emperor, Iphicleola Sister and Silver Emperor flying about and settling to warm up in the sun. There were also a few White-fanned Anoles Anolis homolechis up here and the males were displaying to each other by flicking out their dewlap. In this species it is white as the name suggests but each species differs. Here at Soroa there 25 species of lizard including a remarkable 11 anole species. We only saw three but included one of the most remarkable - more on this later! If you click here you can read a very interesting paper on the habitat niches adopted by the different Anolis at Soroa and how this might serve to reduce competition. 
Picture
Anolis homolechis White-fanned Anole Soroa © Tim Norriss
On our way down we saw four Swallowtail species including Cuban Kite E. celadon and about six Polydamas nectaring on the Tournefortia flowers. All were very worn as can be seen below. You can also see the fuller more rounded wings of the females (above) as this one was pursued relentlessly by a male. We also saw a male Atalopedes mesogramma Mesogramma Skipper. We have seen females a couple times previously, which differ in having a white bar on the underside hindwing, but never a male .
Polydamas Swallowtail 27 Jun 2015 © Tim Norriss
male Mesogramma Skipper 27 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
La Sagra's Flycatcher is a common permanent resident endemic to the Caribbean found only on Cuba, Bahamas and Grand Cayman. We saw it quite often but today whilst photographing the polydamas one came down to dustbathe behind me and then sat up panting in the heat - it was over 30⁰ by now.
La Sagra's Flycatcher Soroa © Tim Norriss
La Sagra's Flycatcher Soroa © Tim Norriss
And then a Red-striped Leafwing Siderone galanthis appeared and flew round before settling on a bush about ten metres away. Panic - I took two slow steps towards it and it flew again before settling in the same place. We had seen this species first in March in the Sierra Maestra but only very briefly, and again on the Guanahacabibes peninsular last week but got not a sniff of a photo. While it flew the second time a rattled off a few pictures on the off chance of getting something in flight and I got a couple more this time when it settled before it shot off down the track and didn't reappear. Not great shots but it was something and the best views we had had so far. They belong to the Sub-Family Charaxinae in the Nymphalidae - what a stunner!
Red-striped Leafwing 27 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
Red-striped Leafwing 27 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
Red-striped Leafwing 27 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
Red-striped Leafwing 27 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
By the side of the road was a small hut that was being built of blockwork, the mortar for which had been mixed by the roadside and on which various butterflies were taking moisture and minerals including several very smart freshly emerged male Marpesia chiron Many-banded Daggerwing.
Marpesia chiron Many-banded Daggerwing © Tim Norriss
Marpesia chiron Many-banded Daggerwing © Tim Norriss
And further down lots more butterflies appeared on the verge, several species of Skipper, a Malachite Siproeta stelenes and the ubiquitous Anartia jatrophae White Peacock.
female Magdalia Skipper 27 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
male Magdalia Skipper 27 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
Baracoa Skipper 27 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
Caribbean Skipper 27 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
Malachite 27 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
White Peacock 27 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
Tropical Checkered Skipper 27 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
Antillean Checkered Skipper 27 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
As we neared the bottom of the hill a group of people were walking up and I got chatting to the father of a small boy that I thought was holding a plastic snake so I didn't pay much attention. It was only as they were leaving that I realised that it was alive - and of a species that we hadn't seen before Cuban Lesser Racer Caraiba andreae. I hope he let it go safely. We also found more Oviedo's Swallowtail larvae of all sizes feeding on Piper peltatum. Most interesting was the final instar that when seen head-on showed a remarkable resemblance to a snake - isn't evolution amazing!
Picture
Oviedo's Swallowtail larva Heraclides oviedo 27 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
All in all a fantastic day with 52 butterfly species seen, that's about 30% of all the resident species in Cuba in one day - and all within about one mile!

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