Hamadryas feronia
Hamadryas feronia
Hamadryas feronia is a butterfly ( butterfly ) of the family Nymphalidae ( Nymphalidae ). The male moth can produce crackling sounds.
Features
Butterfly
The wingspan of the butterfly is 73 to 83 millimeters. The tops of all wings is blue-gray to gray-brown marbled and covered with whitish spots. On the front wings, a red, S- shaped bent little spot is in the Diskalregion near the leading edge. In the Submarginalregion a series lifts bright cored out ocelli. The wing underside is a creamy white color and is fitted with black-brown drawing elements. The red spot on the top of the front wings shimmer in attenuated form through. Near the Apex is an elongated white spot.
Caterpillar, and chrysalis
Adults caterpillars usually have a brownish color and finely marbled blackish. On the bright back some long and branched thorns stress significantly. In the area of spiracles are white and pink spots and short yellowish spines. The head bears two serrated horns.
The doll shows two long spikes on the head.
Similar Species
- Hamadryas guatemalena differs by the more pronounced white spot pattern on the underside of the forewing near the apex.
- Hamadryas iphthime missing the red S-shaped spot on the front wings.
Geographical distribution and habitat
Hamadryas feronia comes from Texas to the south mainly in Central America and parts of South America before and settled preferably tropical open terrain with single trees. In Costa Rica the subspecies Hamadryas feronia farinulenta from sea level is to be found up to 1400 meters.
Way of life
The moths fly in tropical regions in several generations throughout the year, in Texas from August to November. They suck for holding food like overripe fruit on, but not to flowers. The caterpillars feed on the leaves of various spurge family ( Euphorbiaceae ), including Dalechampia triphylla with ssp. stenosepala, D. tiliifolia and D. scandens.
Special Features
When flying male moths produce a clicking or cracking noise, which is why the genus Hamadryas is also known as " crackers " in English usage. The sounds can be used to impress females to drive competing males to deter predators or to the territory to mark acoustically. According to Scott they are produced by the collision hitting the thorny outlets at the end of the male abdomen with the underlying Valven also thorny. The research of Yack et al. and Monge - Najera et al. say, however, that the sound is generated by flapping wings. For final clarification of the exact location of the sound source and the preferred application, further investigations are required. The maximum value of the frequency spectrum of the noise lasting up to 0.5 seconds is provided in the region of 13-15 kHz. The sound pressure level in ten cm distance from the source was measured to be 80 to 100 dB. The moths take the sounds by means of a lying at the base of the fore wings Chordotonalorgans, the bird 's body, true.