Butterflies 0f Niue 2010

Wander the magnificent rainforests and gardens of Niue, there are some amazing plant and animal life – from orchids, hibiscus, frangipani and bougainvillea to parakeets, white-tailed terns, other exotic birds and beautiful butterflies, adding to the brilliant diversity of this eco-tourism paradise.

As a celebration of Niue’s natural beauty, Nieu Post issued a collection of butterfly-themed stamp collectables. Featuring three of Niue’s most eye-catching specimens, the collection includes a stunning miniature sheet with an innovative design that brings the butterfly theme to life.

 
$1.40 – Pepe Hypolimnas bolina

Hypolimnas bolina is commonly known as the great eggfly, the blue moon butterfly and the common eggfly.

 

 

The male of the species (shown on this stamp) has jet black wings offset with white spots surrounded by purple iridescence, while the female’s wings are brownish black with no spots. 

Hypolimnas bolina is a black-bodied butterfly with a wingspan of about 70–85 millimetres .Hypolimnas bolinais a fairly common butterfly found in lightly wooded country, deciduous forests, thick and moist scrub and the greener parts of human habitation.

Hypolimnas bolina is found in Madagascar in the west, through to South and Southeast Asia, South Pacific islands (French Polynesia, Tonga, Samoa, Vanuatu), and occurs in parts of Australia, Japan, and New Zealand.

$1.70 – Junonia villida

The male and female of the Meadow argus (Junonia villida) have a similar appearance – most notably in having two blue ‘eyespots’ on their wings. These are a defence mechanism the butterflies use to either frighten predators away or confuse them into thinking that the eyespots are the target. This enables the butterfly to escape with only a small part of its wing being lost.

The Meadow Argus (Junonia villida) is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae, commonly found in Australia.The underside of the wings are mainly unmarked, except the lower part of the fore wing has similar markings as the upper side.The wingspan measures 4 centimetres  in males and 4.3 centimetres  in females.

The Meadow Argus can be found mainly on the Australian mainland, as well as in Tasmania, Kangaroo Island, Lord Howe Island, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Fiji, Papa New Guinea, Indonesia, Samoa and Cook Islands.They reside in urban areas, forests, woodlands, and grasslands, though they are uncommon during the winter months. Every year during October or November, the butterflies migrate from southern Australia to warmer areas in the north

$2.40 –  Hypolimnas antilope

Hypolimnas antilope is another of the more than 20 species of eggfly. Like Hypolimnas bolina, they lay their eggs in large batches on the upper surface of leaves, then form a protective umbrella over them to shield them from predators.

 

They stay in this position until the eggs hatch and the tiny caterpillars have dispersed several days later.

Butterflies of the Caribbean–Dominica

Dominica Post has issued the stamp series of butterflies that features the butterflies of the Caribbean. The stamp issued consisted of one sheetlet depicted Cuban Cattleheart, White Peacock, Bahamian Swallowtail, Tropical Buckeye and two souvenir sheet depicted Atala Black, Purple Emperor.

Cuban Cattleheart – Parides g. gundlachianus

Parides g. gumdlachianus is one species in the group of the ascanius species in the genus Parides . Parides, commonly called Cattlehearts, is a genus of swallowtail butterflies in the family Papilionidae. They are found in the Americas.

White Peacock - Anartia jatrophae

The White Peacock (Anartia jatrophae) is a species of butterfly found in the south-eastern United States, Central America, and throughout much of South America.The males of the species display a unique territorial behaviour, in which they stake out a territory typically 15 meters in diameter that contains larval host plants. They perch in this area and aggressively protect it from other insects and other male white peacocks.  

Bahamian Swallowtail - Papilio andraemon tailori

The Bahaman Swallowtail (Papilio andraemon) is a butterfly of the Papilionidae family. It is found on the Bahamas, Cuba and Jamaica. They have subspecies are: Papilio andraemon andraemon (Florida, Cuba, Jamaica) ,Papilio andraemon bonhotei Sharpe, 1900 (Bahamas) ,Papilio andraemon tailori Rothschild & Jordan, 1906 (Cayman Islands) .The wingspan is 96-102 mm. Adults are on wing from April to October in three generations per year. The larvae feed on various species in the Rutaceae family.

 

Tropical Buckeye - Junonia genoveva

The Tropical Buckeye or Junonia genoveva is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family. It is found from southern New Mexico, southern Arizona, southern Texas, and southern Florida south through the West Indies, Mexico and Central America to Argentina. 

They have subspecies are Junonia genoveva genoveva (Surinam) ,Junonia genoveva constricta (Venezuela, Colombia), Junonia genoveva hilaris (Paraguay, Uruguay),Junonia genoveva incarnata (Colombia, Venezuela), Junonia genoveva infuscat (Ecuador) ,Junonia genoveva vivida (Guyana, Surinam) .

The wingspan is 45–57 mm. There are three to four generations from March to October. The larvae have been recorded on Stachytarpheta, Ruellia tuberosa and Blechum in Jamaica. Adults feed on flower nectar.

 

Atala Black – Eumaeus atala

The Atala, Eumaeus atala, is a small colorful butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in southeastern Florida, the Bahamas, and Cuba. Its coloration and habits are unique among butterflies within its range.

In Florida, the caterpillar feeds on a native cycad, Zamia pumila, called Coontie, as well as introduced ornamental cycads.Therefore the butterfly called is  Coontie Hairstreak. Florida subspecies is endangered.

 

 

In Cuba, the cycad Cycas revoluta is used as well. The hostplants contains toxic chemicals, known as cycasins, and the bright coloration of the adult is believed to be aposematic. Birds and lizards attempt to prey on the adults, but find them distasteful and learn to avoid the brightly-patterned butterflies.

The natural habitat is open brushy areas and subtropical hammocks, often in pine woodlands. Adult butterflies take flower nectar and sometimes roost in trees. Adults fly through much of the year.  Many populations now exist in suburban areas with ornamental cycads.

Adults keep close to a site with host plants, thus the species forms small colonies. The females, however, may disperse in search of more hosts. The butterfly's flight is slow, unlike the swift, erratic flight of many other Lycaenidae.

The  wingspan has ranged between 38-51 mm. The male Atalas have hair pencils ("coremata") on their abdomens used in courtship--the male hovers in front of the female, wafting pheromones exuded from the pencils in her direction. Eggs are laid in clusters of 10-50 on the leaf tips of the host plant. Larvae feed on the leaves. Pupation is usually on the host plant.

 

Purple Emperor – Doxocopa thoe

Doxocopa thoe  is a species of the genus Doxocopa. Doxocopa is a genus of neotropical butterflies in the family Nymphalidae, subfamily Apaturinae.

The male have a conspicuous wing because of the blue to purple iridescence on the up, and females equally so because of the ochreous coloration.

Doxocopa thoe is broadly distributed in Dominica. Most localities are very near with the sea level (Playa Bayahibe), but also occurs until level 1129 m (Las abejas).

The butterfly is quite patient and not easily disturbed. If they are frightened, they are strong tendency to return the same leaf from which they departed.

The members of Doxocopa genus are rarely use flower as food source but rather are attracted to fermenting fruit on the ground, decaying animal matter and wastes and sap oozing from the wounded tree. Doxocopa thoe has not been use decaying flesh or sap as food sources but they taken food on the species Tournefortia hirsutissima, Morinda citrifolia, Ixora sp, Ageratum conyzoides.

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