Colotis erone

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Colotis erone
Colotis erone, female

Colotis erone , female

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Family : Whitelings (Pieridae)
Subfamily : True whiteflies (Pierinae)
Genre : Colotis
Type : Colotis erone
Scientific name
Colotis erone
( Angas , 1849)

Colotis erone is a butterfly ( butterflies ) from the family of white flies (Pieridae) that occursin southeast Africa.

features

butterfly

The moths reach a wingspan of 45 to 50 millimeters for females and 40 to 45 millimeters for males. There is a clear sexual dimorphism between the sexes . Both sexes have white wings from which the black veins stand out only weakly. There are two different color variants in the females: The apex area on the upper side of the forewing is either dark gray-brown with white spots or orange-red with black spots. A very small discal spot is usually indistinct. A few black dots can be seen in front of the edge of the upper side of the hind wing. In the males, the apex area is colored shiny purple and bordered in black. With them, too, the black discal spot is very small and punctiform. The pattern on the upper sides of the wing shines through to the underside of the wing in a much weakened or almost colorless form.

Similar species

Colotis ione differs in the females by dark stripes on the upper side of the forewing . In the males, who also show violet wing tips, the black veins on all wing tops stand out very clearly.

distribution and habitat

Colotis erone, male Colotis ione, male
Colotis erone , male
Colotis ione , male

The occurrence of Colotis erone extends from Mozambique and the Transvaal along the South African east coast to Port St. Johns and Durban as well as to Swaziland . The species prefers to colonize alluvial forests and wooded savannas .

Way of life

Maerua racemulosa , a food plant of caterpillars

The moths fly in several generations throughout the year. They are particularly numerous in the months of December and January and between March and July. The caterpillars live on the leaves of the plant species Maerua racemulosa and Maerua pedunculosa, which belong to the caper family (Capparaceae) .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e Steve Woodhall: Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa , Cape Town, South Africa, Struik Publishers, 2005, ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7
  2. ↑ a b Markku Savela: Tanaecia Butler, (1869) - distribution. In: Lepidoptera and some other life forms. Retrieved January 20, 2019 .

Web links

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