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
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      • Odonata
      • Moths >
        • Tineoidea
        • Gelechioidea
        • Alucitoidea
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        • Schreckensteinioidea
        • Urodoidea
        • Choreutoidea
        • Tortricoidea
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        • Zygaenoidea
        • Pyraloidea
        • Lasiocampoidea
        • Bombicoidea
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        • Hedyloidea
        • Noctuoidea
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Day 9 – 24 June – Guanahacabibes National Park

12/8/2015

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Our replacement vehicle and driver Volo duly arrived yesterday afternoon and Duviel was taken back to Habana with a breakdown truck. We wished him well as he had been good company and an excellent driver. So we set off this morning to the NP centre to pick up our guide as entry into the National Park is not permitted without one. So we paid our 10cuc each entry fee and drove off down the western arm of the peninsular towards the Faro Roncali lighthouse at the very western tip of the island some 60km away by road.

We hadn’t gone far when two Common Black Hawks got up off the road in front of us. They had been feeding on land crabs that had been run over by vehicles and one continued feeding above us as we watched.
Cuban Black Hawk © Tim Norriss
Cuban Black Hawk © Tim Norriss
Cuban Black Hawk © Tim Norriss
We passed an area of dead forest that our guide explained was caused by the hurricane that struck this area in 2009. The ensuing storm surge caused seawater to inundate the forest which became more saline by evaporation causing the trees to die.
Picture
We stopped at an open area to see what butterflies were present and spotted a Heraclides caiguanabus Poey's Swallowtail nectaring. They have a similar pattern of yellow spots to H. polydamas Polydamas Swallowtail but have tails unlike that species. And a male Bee Hummingbird was seen in the distance. It was singing from the top of the dead branches of a bush which made photography something of a challenge. This is the smallest bird in the world and is endemic to Cuba. It is scarcely bigger than a bee and the bright iridescent red colour on the head only shows when the sun catches it at the right angle but otherwise appears black. Small parties of White-crowned Pigeons were often seen during the day and as we drove along Common Ground Doves would get up from the side of the road. They were more abundant in this area than anywhere we have been in Cuba.
Poey's Swallowtail © Tim Norriss
Bee Hummingbird male © Tim Norriss
Bee Hummingbird male © Tim Norriss
Bee Hummingbird male © Tim Norriss
We stopped at various points along the route and at one place a male Silver Emperor Doxocopa laure came down onto the ground but it flew as I approached. That will have to wait for another time - can't win them all. I saw a lizard that I haven't yet been able to identify. I now have pictures of quite a few reptiles and amphibians so I think I'll add a page for these on this website. Most I have been able to identify using the Caribherp website but this only has one small thumbnail for each species and some species can be very variable. If butterflies are anything to go by there must be a good chance of turning up new species here... We started seeing Mexican Fritillary Euptoieta hegesia in some numbers including a female laying on what I think is a species of Turnera and a few Caribbean Daggerwing Marpesia eleuchea as well as a female Sleepy Orange Abaeis nicippe. There were also lots of Urania boisduvalii larvae on the bushes. This is a large day-flying moth which we saw flying most days. Click here to see a photo of the adult at the bottom of the E. celadon page.
unid lizard © Tim Norriss
Sleepy Orange © Tim Norriss
Mexican Fritillary ovipositing on Turnera sp © Tim Norriss
Mexican Fritillary © Tim Norriss
Caribbean Daggerwing © Tim Norriss
Urania boisduvalii larvae © Tim Norriss
The first of several Cuban Kite Swallowtail Eurytides celadon flew by without stopping. They have a very rapid purposeful flight and although we saw them on every day except one of this trip we never once saw one settle and only twice saw them nectaring.
There are quite a lot of snake species in Cuba and we normally see at least a couple of snakes on each trip though apart from the Giant Trope otherwise known as Dusky Dwarf Boa Tropidophis melanurus that we saw on 17 June all the snakes that we have seen have been the Cuban Racer Cubophis cantherigerus which seems to be by far the commonest and most widespread species. The one we saw today was the biggest we had seen by a long way and must have been at least 5ft long. It was very docile and sluggish and as I got closer for pictures I could see why - it was about to shed its skin as its eyes looked rather milky and opaque. No wonder it let me get so close!
As we drove further west the habitat changed from forest to rather open scrubby limestone. We were told this was a good area for the endemic Cuban Iguana Cyclura nubila and we managed to locate three though they seemed distinctly wary (they are still hunted for food in some areas) and despite their size could move remarkably quickly. They are vegetarian and we watched as this one took bites out of the adjacent leaves.
Cuban Racer © Tim Norriss
Cuban Iguana © Tim Norriss
There were lots of butterflies around the lighthouse which is at the very western end of the island. Most exciting was Cyclargus thomasi Miami Blue because although Hernandez in his 2004 book says that it is common, Rayner assures me that this is not the case, and it is certainly the first time that we had seen it. Although similar to Nickerbean Blue Cyclargus ammon it has four dots, not three, at the base of the hindwing underside, and also has less orange on the underside marginal ocellus.
Miami Blue © Tim Norriss
Miami Blue © Tim Norriss
Anolis quadriocellifer Cuban Eyespot Anole © Tim Norriss
Whilst we were watching the Miami Blue our guide pointed out an anole, on the tree behind, flashing its orange and yellow dewlap. It's called Anolis quadriocellifer, the Cuban Eyespot Anole and is just one of the 132 species of reptile endemic to Cuba although this one is found only on the Guanahacabibes Peninsular. And before we started the return journey I at last managed half-decent views of a settled male Adelpha iphicleola Iphicleola Sister that was typically sitting rather high up and chased off any insect that invaded its territory.
Iphicleola Sister © Tim Norriss
Iphicleola Sister © Tim Norriss
When we dropped off our guide back at the NP centre we had a quick check around the many flowers and found this Tropical Buckeye Junonia zonalis pair in cop.
Picture
Tropical Buckeye Junonia zonalis © Tim Norriss
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