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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day 7 - 21 june - baracoa to guantanamo

3/11/2016

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The day got off to a good start with Greater Antillean Nightjar calling outside our room as we were getting ready for breakfast. Today was a traveling day with stops, heading first south over the Sierra de Purial down to the south coast at Cajobabao and then turning west along the coast towards Guantanamo where we would be spending two nights. It was a good road and a wonderful journey both for scenery and rewarding butterfly stops. The first of these was just east of Palma Clara still on the north side of the hills at 1240ft. Confusing Yellow Pyrisitia larae was the most numerous butterfly here beside the road. According to Hernández this is a widespread species but this was only the second time we had seen it – as the name suggests it is easy to overlook. Gundlach’s Swallowtail Parides gundlachianus also came and nectared and was obliging in providing good views but didn’t stop so the only shot I got was one in flight.
Confusing Yellow Pyrisitia larae 21 Jun 2016 Palma Clara © Tim Norriss
Gundlach's Swallowtail Parides gundlachianus 21 Jun 2016 Palma Clara © Tim Norriss
We had a couple more stops on the way down the other side of the hills. One of these was a near a little house by the roadside. Note the trolley outside - a popular form of transport for goods and people on these hilly roads in Cuba. We saw them being used extensively in the Sierra Maestra mountains in March 2015. Cubans may not be rich in material things but they possess an abundance of resourcefulness.
Doug photographing H. oviedo larva 21 Jun 2016 Palma Clara © Lynn Fomison
Oviedo Swallowtail Heraclides oviedo larva 21 Jun 2016 Palma Clara © Tim Norriss
We stopped at a view point parking spot on the right with a concrete balustrade. Below that there was a steep area of natural habitat with many butterflies flying in the hot sun and we could see the sea in the distance looking south. We saw Cuban Black Swallowtail Heraclides oxynius, Pelaus Swallowtail Heraclides pelaus, Two-spotted Prepona Archaeoprepona demophoon, Confusing Yellow Pyrisitia larae, Cuban Checkerspot Atlantea perezi and about ten Dusky Emperor Asterocampa idyia. Doug also found a larva of Oviedo's Swallowtail Heraclides oviedo.
We had yet another stop when we were down on the flat and very hot coast road. On the road verge was another male Banded Yellow Eurema elathea. You can see the straight not curved black bar showing through from the upper forewing. We went into an area of trees just above the beach. Gundlach’s Swallowtails Parides gundlachianus were very numerous and seeking shade communally on the hanging branches of a large tree. We also saw a few anoles with Cuban Whiptail Pholidoscelis auberi with their blue tails being the commonest and a pair of Oriente Warblers were building a nest in the bush above me where I spent some time trying to photograph the various Pierids that were nectaring on the white flowers of a large bush. Amongst these were Cuban White Ganyra menciae and Cuban Sulphur Kricogonia cabrerai which was new for us. Both of these are endemic to Cuba and the latter is restricted to the eastern end of the island. Not the best of shots but they were quite high up and it's a start! You can see the two main identification features of Cuban Sulphur - the mottled appearance of the underside hindwing in both sexes and the yellow at the base of the upper forewing of the male reduced to a narrow yellow streak. On male K. lyside the yellow is more extensive.
Parides gundlachianus 21 Jun 2016 Cajobabao © Tim Norriss
Banded Yellow Eurema elathea 21 Jun 2016 Cajobabao © Tim Norriss
Cuban Sulphur Kricogonia cabrerai fem 21 Jun 2016 Cajobabao © Tim Norriss
Kricogonia cabrerai Cuban Sulphur male 21 Jun 2016 Cajobabao © Tim Norriss
We drove on again and as it was now lunch-time Leandro then stopped at La Chivera just east of Playa Imías at a small outdoor restaurant next to the sea where he could park in the shade. We were able our have our picnic lunch under palm leaf umbrellas overlooking the sea and enjoyed nice cold fizzy orange. Any idea of having a rest in the shade was quickly abandoned as Doug and I were lured back out into the frying pan of a car park where two flowering trees were attracting lots of butterflies. Although most were Great Southern White Ascia monuste there were several more Cuban Sulphur K. cabrerai and we watched a female laying on Guaiacum officinale. Several swallowtails and skippers were present as well as Queen Danaus gilippus, Caribbean Banner Lucinia sida and Cuban White Ganyra menciae. We also saw Dainty Sulphur Nathalis iole near the picnic tables which turned out to be the only one of the trip.
Cuban Sulphur Kricogonia cabrerai 21 Jun 2016 Playa Imías © Tim Norriss
Kricogonia cabrerai egg 21 Jun 2016 Playa Imías © Tim Norriss
Queen Danaus gilippus 21 Jun 2016 Playa Imías © Tim Norriss
Caribbean Banner Lucinia sida 21 Jun 2016 Playa Imías © Tim Norriss
21 Jun 2016 Playa Imías © Tim Norriss
21 Jun 2016 Playa Imías © Tim Norriss
We continued along the coast to Yateritas. The reason for coming here was that it is the only place on Cuba where the Antillean Blue Pseudochrysops bornoi yateritas has been seen. It was first discovered here on 1 October 1991 and I’m not sure how many times it has been seen since. The only pictures on the internet are of the holotype which is held in the Oxford Museum of Natural History. Strangely I didn’t see it there on our previous visits so I will have to make contact and make another visit to photograph it. Separate subspecies are known from Hispaniola and Puerto Rico. It resembles a Hairstreak in having tails on the hindwings and has been known to nectar on the Acacia bushes in the area. I spent some time searching these but only found Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak Strymon istapa. It was a bit of a long shot looking for it in June though on Hispaniola it is thought to be triple-brooded (Smith, Miller & Miller). Whilst standing quietly watching one of the Acacias I noticed a pair of the endemic Cuban Gnat-catcher feeding and was surprised when they came out in the open to investigate me. This is by far the best views I have ever had of this.
Cuban Gnat-catcher 21 Jun 2016 Yateritas © Tim Norriss
Cuban Gnat-catcher 21 Jun 2016 Yateritas © Tim Norriss
21 Jun 2016 Yateritas © Tim Norriss
Pygmy Blue Brephidium exilis 21 Jun 2016 Yateritas © Tim Norriss
Leiocephalus sp 21 Jun 2016 Yateritas © Tim Norriss
Wilson's Plover 21 Jun 2016 Yateritas © Tim Norriss
There were two Southern Dogface Zerene cesonia flying around and Doug caught it to show us the upperwing pattern resembling a dog's face, a poodle perhaps, before releasing it. He then found a larva of Gulf Fritillary Agraulis vanillae feeding on Passiflora foetida and also several adults of Obscure Skipper Panoquina panoquinoides. Time was getting on so we set off for the Hotel Lupe. It had been a great day and despite spending quite a bit of time in the vehicle we had seen butterfly 56 species today including no less than nine Swallowtails! We had now seen 94 species in seven days.
Southern Dogface Zerene cesonia 21 Jun 2016 Yateritas © Tim Norriss
Southern Dogface Zerene cesonia 21 Jun 2016 Yateritas © Tim Norriss
Gulf Fritillary Agraulis vanillae larva 21 Jun 2016 Yateritas © Tim Norriss
Gulf Fritillary Agraulis vanillae larva 21 Jun 2016 Yateritas © Tim Norriss
It was around this time in the holiday that we were approached by a jeep and two military bods came over and asked what we were doing. I explained that we were looking for and photographing butterflies. They told me that we weren't allowed to go more than 50m from our vehicle! And if we did they would know as they had hidden cameras watching us. Yeah right - pull the other one. I'm not sure what threat they thought two Brits in their sixties watching butterflies posed to Cuba! Come on - this is the 21st century! Having said that I wonder whether Trump will pull back from his recent rhetoric on future relations with Cuba when he gets in the White House...
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