30 Jun Butterflies Of Panama
By Kevin Painter
Pink tipped Satyr Cithaerias pireta pireta
By no means do I pretend to be an expert on these beautiful creatures (I do love taking their pictures), but I will tell you of the little I do know. Out of +/- 20,000 different species in the world today, we have almost 2,000 in Panama. Around 10% of the species are found here. To compare 4,000+ Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and my homeland England has 58!
Egg from clearwing butterfly
As most of you know, its starts with the adult female laying her eggs on the specie’s desired host plant. The egg remains an egg for 3 to 10 days. When they hatch they eat there own egg sack and then move onto eating the very leaf they were placed on by Mum. The female chooses the newest growth on the host plant to lay her eggs on (the freshest produce), to give the best start possible to her young.
Swallowtail Caterpillar
They are caterpillars for 10 to 20 days depending on the species. If there are many, they will strip a plant dry of leaves (It grows back so don’t worry). They eat furiously to grow to adult caterpillars and then normally leave the host plant to pupate.
Note: If you move a caterpillar from its host plant to different plant it will die. Most species have different but specific plants they need to develop.
They add a blob of “super glue” (its strong) to their heads and attach themselves to the safest haven they can find. Within 24 hours, and with a slight curl in their length, they shake rattle and role (as to say). A skirt develops around their entire body. They are now a chrysalis. This stage varies in length. Depending on the species normally 8 to 12 days (in colder climates it can be 6 months).
Chrysalis of a small owl butterfly
Split Banded Owlet Opsiphanes cassina Fabrici
In their given time, the sack splits and they emerge slowly. They need an hour or longer (and preferably in nice warm sunshine,) to dry their wings in order to get ready to fly. (Tip this is the very best time to take photos). For just once in their lives they are relatively still and their colors are at there strongest (fresh) at this stage.
Most Butterflies live only 8 to 15 days a few up to 6 months. Their task is to just reproduce as per say, all of us.
Mortality rates are very high. As I understand it, 100 eggs may only produce 1 butterfly. Eggs and caterpillars get eaten by ants, spiders, birds, lizards, and much much more. Butterflies are hit from the first flight by dragonflies and birds and when they land again, they are prey for spiders and lizards. Sorry to add human beings (deforestation). We are there largest threat by far.
Butterflies and moths belong to the order Lepidoptera. Lepiods is Greek for “scales” and ptera mans “wing.” These scaled wings are different from the wings of any other insect. Lepioptera is a very large group. There are more types of butterflies and moths than there are any other type of insect, except beetles.
The main 6 groups/families:
- Hesperiidae
- Lycaenidae
- Nymphalidae
- Papilionidae
- Pieridae
- Riodinidae
As I write this, as with my photos I place on my Facebook page, I am pleased to help bring to others the wonderful world of butterflies. Most people only see them in a flash. By taking their photos to the best of my ability, we can share their outstanding beauty.