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 >
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      • Reptiles
      • Amphibians
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      • Odonata
      • Moths >
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        • Alucitoidea
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        • Schreckensteinioidea
        • Urodoidea
        • Choreutoidea
        • Tortricoidea
        • Sesioidea
        • Zygaenoidea
        • Pyraloidea
        • Lasiocampoidea
        • Bombicoidea
        • Geometroidea
        • Hedyloidea
        • Noctuoidea
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day 13 - 28 June - Soroa

30/9/2015

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Today we again went to the top of the hill and walked down a short way before a shower sent us back to the vehicle for shelter. Somebody had left a cut guava beside the road and on it was feeding a Dusky Emperor. We had seen these on three previous days of our holiday though they were never fresh and never close so it was nice to be able to get prolonged views of this one as it fed at close range.
Dusky Emperor 28 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
Dusky Emperor 28 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
Silver Emperor Doxocopa laure 28 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
male Dainty Sulphur 28 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
Picture
As we walked further down the road a couple of men arrived to remove a palm frond that had fallen across some overhead cables. They didn't seem to be terribly safety conscious in fact there were so many things that could go wrong any time in the next 30 seconds that we hurried on down !
We decided to explore the edges of the hotel garden and Rayner quickly spotted a Perching Saliana Saliana esperi settled on broad-leaved low vegetation as they often do. They can also settle on the underside of leaves as several of the skippers do. This butterfly is found in Central and South America but in the Caribbean it is found only on Cuba, where it was discovered as recently as September 1991, and Trinidad which is only a stone’s throw from Venezuela. It has been given subspecies status Saliana e. soroa. The foodplant is unknown in Cuba and the larvae have never been found on the island till now but…  see the next blog! Rayner also managed to see Perichares philetes Caribbean Ruby-eye here too but although I was only yards away each time I missed it on both occasions and it didn’t reappear. They are found only in the deepest shade and often very close to streams. This was a lesson to me as I had never thought of looking in such deep shade for butterflies before.
Perching Saliana 28 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
Perching Saliana 28 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
Next to the hotel was a small weedy field with sugar cane growing in part of it, and quite a few wild flowers. It looked promising and on entering we immediately saw Antillea pelops Antillean Crescent. This was a good start and the only one we saw during the whole holiday. Then we found both Caribbean Sailor Dynamine serina and Mexican Sailor Dynamine postverta with males and females of each. They were taking moisture from the stems of the sugar cane and sunning themselves on the leaves. We also later in the day watched Siderone galanthis Red-striped Leafwing do the same thing.
Antillean Crescent 28 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
Red-striped Leafwing 28 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
male Dynamine serina 28 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
male Dynamine serina 28 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
male Dynamine postverta 28 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
male Dynamine postverta 28 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
We found a Sleepy Orange Abaeis nicippe pupa in the grass and there were also several skipper species nectaring on the flowers here including two or three Euphyes cornelius Cornelius Skipper. They weren’t in the best condition unfortunately but still nice to see as we had only seen one once before some 15 months previously. They breed on sugar cane and I suspect this field was never sprayed so presumably they were breeding here.
female Cornelius Skipper 28 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
female Cornelius Skipper 28 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
female Cornelius Skipper 28 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
male Cornelius Skipper 28 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
Sleepy Orange pupa 28 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
Fiery Skipper 28 Jun 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
Bauhinia is a flowering shrub/tree with several species in Cuba belonging to the family Fabaceae. They are a good nectar source for several species and a larval foodplant for two skippers Emerald Aguna Aguna claxon and Gold-spotted Aguna Aguna asander. Whenever we saw Bauhinia we made a point of searching for feeding damage and larvae. There were some Bauhinia bushes on the edge of hotel garden which were buzzing with activity with Oviedo’s Swallowtail Heraclides oviedo, Polydamas Swallowtail Battus polydamas, Statira Sulphur Phoebis statira and Cloudless Sulphur Phoebis sennae and a search here provided one Aguna egg and quite a bit of feeding damage but despite much searching, no larvae. Rayner wasn’t sure to which of the two species the egg belonged. It was also interesting to see how variable the male Cloudless Sulphur Phoebis sennae were.
Bauhinia 28 June 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
Bauhinia 28 June 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
Oviedo's Swallowtail 28 June 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
Oviedo's Swallowtail 28 June 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
male Cloudless Sulphur 28 June 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
male Cloudless Sulphur 28 June 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
Statira Sulphur 28 June 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
Aguna sp egg on Bauhinia 28 June 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
I have mentioned before that here at Soroa there are 25 species of lizard including a remarkable 11 anole species. Whilst photographing a West Indian Woodpecker that was nesting in a hole drilled in a telegraph pole I noticed a movement at my feet. It was a female Cuban Green Anole Anolis porcatus being chased by a male who eventually grabbed her by the head before mating with her.
West Indian Woodpecker 28 June 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
Cuban Green Anole Anolis porcatus mating 28 June 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
At the top of the hill above the Orchidarium is the Castillo en Las Nubes that was severely damaged by the hurricane in 2009. When we saw it last in February 2014 it was derelict and we said then that it would be great if it was done up because of the fabulous location. It is owned by the government and is part of the hotel group in which Hotel Villa Soroa is run. While we were there on this occasion it was being renovated to a high standard and wasn’t far off being finished. The floor layer was working at nights to lay the internal and external tiles as it was cooler than doing it during the day. The security guard told us that in the mornings there were hundreds of moths attracted to the light that was being used and suggested that if we came up late one evening we could see them, so we did! We stayed for about an hour and there were lots of moths as well as other fascinating insects coming to the twin fluorescent light that they had hung temporarily on the outside for us.
28 June 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
Callopistria floridensis 28 June 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
Nemoria lixaria 28 June 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
28 June 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
Sphingidae sp 28 June 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
Spodoptera latifascia 28 June 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
28 June 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
28 June 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
28 June 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
28 June 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
And four species of longhorn beetle were attracted to the light.
28 June 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
28 June 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
28 June 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
28 June 2015 Soroa © Tim Norriss
Another amazing day with lots of great wildlife sightings and a total of 53 butterfly species seen today – one up on yesterday!
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