Butterflies of Aruba - 2011

The Postal Administrative of Aruba issued the stamp set featured the butterflies species on the first of December 2011. The issues are consist of ten postage stamps. The species depicted are Lycaena heteronea austin, Diaethria neglecta, Lycaena lapidicola, Pyrrhogyra edocla, Anartia amarthea amarthea, Anglais urticae, Morpho aega, Junonia coenia coenia, Dione juno juno.

The Blue Copper (Lycaena heteronea) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in the western Canada and USA.The males of this species have a bright blue upper-side with faint black spots. The females are greyish brown, with prominent black spots and a blush of orange. The under-side in both sexes is white with black dots.The unique colour of this copper has led to speculation on its convergent evolution with blues. Lycaena heteronea austin feeds as a larva on the same food-plants as blues in the genus Euphilotes.The wingspan is 26–33 mm. Adults are on wing from April to August.

Diaethria neglecta

Diaethria is a brush-footed butterfly genus found in the Neotropical Ecozone, ranging from Mexico to Paraguay. Diaethria neglecta occurs from Panama to Bolivia. The "89" or "88" numerals which appear on the underside hind-wings of this species are present in all of the dozen members of the genus Diaethria, but vary in colour, thickness and shape according to species. 

The butterflies often frequent human dwellings, and are considered a sign of good luck by many communities. The upper-sides are blackish, marked on the forewings with a diagonal band of metallic blue or green. In some species this colour is repeated on the hind-wings in the form of a sub-marginal band.

 

Lycaena lapidicola

Lycaena lapidicola or Coppers are members of the Family Lycaenidae. They are found in sunny, open habitats throughout the temperate zone, with 50 species found in Eurasia and North America. 

Coppers typically have upper wing surfaces that are iridescent purple or red-orange, but some North American species are blue, brown, or gray. Males perch and interact with other males while awaiting receptive females. Most species have a single brood and overwinter as eggs or as first instar caterpillars within the egg. The caterpillars feed on leaves of host plants , which in North America are docks, knotweeds, buckwheat, cinquefoils, gooseberries, currants, or red berry .

 

Pyrrhogyra edocla

Pyrrhogyra edocla is a pretty butterfly from Neotropic ecozone (South America). The first description was in 1848 by Doubleday. The wingspan is about 5.0 – 6.0 cm. This butterfly is a member of the family Nymphalidae. Pyrrhogyra edocla is black and white. The underside has red stripes. Pyrrhogyra edocla can be found from Mexico to Brazil.

Anartia amarthea amarthea.

The Brown Peacock or Scarlet Peacock (Anartia amathea) is a species of nymphalid butterfly, found primarily in South America. The type locality is probably Surinam, and the species is found from Panama to Argentina; Grenada, Barbados, Antigua. Larval host plants are mostly include the families Acanthaceae and Labiatae.

Anglais urticae.

The Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) is a well-known colourful butterfly.It is found in temperate Europe, Asia Minor, Central Asia, Siberia, China, Mongolia, Korea and Japan. This is a species often found in gardens. The caterpillars feed on stinging nettles, as do those of several Nymphalidae butterflies.

The adult is striking, with its dark body and red and yellow wings, which have a row of blue dots around the rear edge. The under-wings are dull, which helps to conceal stationary or hibernating individuals. When threatened, resting individuals rapidly open their wings, presenting the dramatic display of colours. This can frighten away young or inexperienced birds.

Morpho aega
The Aega Morpho (Morpho aega) is a Neotropical butterfly found in Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil. Morpho aega is a species group which may be composed of several species. The larvae feeds on Gramineae.

Junonia coenia coenia.

This butterfly has a distinctive pattern and slightly scalloped wing margins. On the upper-side, all four wings have a large and a small eyespot, the large one on the forewing in a contrasting white band across the wing tip, and there are two orange bands near the costa at the base of the forewing. The underside is paler and the upper-side features are repeated. Females are noticeably larger than males. The wingspan is range 37 to 45 mm.

Junonia coenia coenia

The Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia) is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in southern Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia and all parts of the United States except the northwest, and is especially common in the south, the California coast, and throughout Central America and Colombia.

Its habitat is open areas with low vegetation and some bare ground. This species and its relatives were placed formerly in the genus Precis. Adults feed on nectar and also take fluids from mud and damp sand. Males perch on bare ground or low plants, occasionally patrolling in search of females, but they are not territorial. The caterpillars are solitary and feed on the foliage, flowers, and fruits of the host plant. 

Dione juno juno

The Juno Silverspot, Juno Longwing, or Juno Heliconian (Dione juno) is a species of butterflies of the subfamily Heliconiinae in the family Nymphalidae found from southern USA to South America.

Butterflies of Botswana

Botswana Post  has issued the butterfly stamp set on the first of November 2007. The issue  comprises of 14  postage stamps that depicts respectively species of Scarlet tip, Dwarf blue, Mimmosa Saphire, Bushveld Orange-tip,African Monarch,Common Black-eye,Brown Playboy,Sapphire, Apricot Playboy, Blue Pansy,Black-striped Hairtail,Natal Barred Blue, and Foxy Charaxes.
 

Scarlet Tip

The Crimson Tip or Scarlet Tip (Colotis danae) is a small butterfly of the Family Pieridae .Wing expanse of 45–50 mm in males and 48–52 mm in females.The butterfly is found in open to wooded savannah areas of Eastern Southern Africa from King Williams Town in the Eastern Cape through to the Limpopo province in wherever its foodplant, Cabada termitaria, Cabada natalensis and Maerua angolensis are found. The insect flies throughout the year with a dry and wet season form being recognized. It flies fairly fast, feeding frequently and is best seen earlier in the morning when it is cooler and they sit warming themselves up.

Dwarf Blue

The Dwarf Blue (Oraidium barberae) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family which prefers savanna or grassed areas. It is found in South Africa and Zimbabwe. In South Africa it is found from the West Cape, north to Namaqualand, the North Cape and east to the East Cape and the Orange Free State as well as northern KwaZulu-Natal. It is the smallest butterfly in Africa!

The wingspan is 10-15 mm for males and 12-18 mm for females. Adults are on wing continuously depending on the rainfall, with peaks usually occurring from September to November and from February to April.The larvae probably feed on Exomis axyrioides. 

 

Mimosa Sapphire

The Mimosa Sapphire (Iolaus mimosae) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in southern Africa.

The wingspan is 26-31 mm for males and 30-32 mm for females. Adults are on wing from September to March with a peak from October to November. There are one or more generations per year.The larvae feed on Moquinella rubra, Plicosepalus kalachariensis and Tapinanthus dicrous.

 

Bushveld Orange-tip

The Bushveld Orange Tip   or Colotis pallene is a butterfly of the Pieridae family. It is found in the southern Africa.

The wingspan is 28–35 mm. The adults fly year-round, peaking in late summer and autumn.The larva feed on Capparis species.

African Monarch

Danaus chrysippus, known as the Plain Tiger or African Monarch, is a common butterfly which is widespread in Asia and Africa. It belongs to the Danainae ("Milkweed butterflies") subfamily of the brush-footed butterfly family, Nymphalidae. It is a medium-sized, non-edible butterfly, which is mimicked by multiple species.

Common Black-eye

The Common Black-eye (Leptomyrina gorgias) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in southern Africa.The wingspan is 18.5–29 mm for males and 25–32 mm for females. Adults are on wing year round with peaks in November and March.The larvae feed on Kalanchoe, Crassula and Cotyledon species.

 

Brown Playboy

The Brown Playboy (Deudorix antalus) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in Africa (including Madagascar) and south-west Arabia.

The wingspan is 22-34 mm for males and 22-40 mm for females. Adults are on year round with peaks from September to October and from March to May. The larvae feed on the fruit of a wide range of plants.

 

Sapphire

The Southern Sapphire (Iolaus silas) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in South Africa, from the Name Karoo in the East Cape, then along the eastern littoral from Addo Elephant to Somerset East and Bedford, along the coastal Savannah and Lowland Forest into KwaZulu-Natal.

The wingspan is 32–37 mm for males and 34–41 mm for females. Adults are on wing year round in warmer areas and from September to January in the southern part of its range.The larvae feed on Moquinella rubra, Erianthemum dregei and Loranthus usuiensis.
 

Large Blue Emperor

The Large Blue Emperor,  or  Charaxes bohemani is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in southern Africa.The wingspan is 65–75 mm in males and 78–95 mm in females. Their flight period is year-round.

 

Larvae of Charaxes bohemani feed on Afzelia quanzensis, Brachystegia spiciformis, Julbernardia globiflora, Lonchocarpus capassa, Dalbergia nitidula, Scotia brachypetala, and Xeroderris stuhlmanni.

 

Apricot Playboy

The Apricot Playboy (Deudorix dinochares) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in South Africa, Madagascar, Zimbabwe, eastern Africa and south-west Arabia. In South Africa it is found from northern KwaZulu-Natal to Swaziland, Mpumalanga, the Limpopo Province, the North West Province and Gauteng.

The wingspan is 24-30 mm for males and 26-32 mm for females. Adults are on the wing year round with peaks from September to October and from March to May.

The larvae feed on the fruit of a wide range of plants such as; Combretum species , Burkea species , Syzygium species , Gardenia species ,  Acacia species ,  Prunus and Ximenia species , etc

Blue Pansy

Blue Pansy or Junonia orithya is a nymphalid butterfly with many subspecies occurring from Africa, through southern and south-eastern Asia, and in Australia.  In southern Africa it is known as the Eyed Pansy as the name Blue Pansy refers to Junonia oenone.

The adults occur in open areas, often sitting on bare ground. This species has a stiff flap and glide style of flight and maintains a territory; driving away other butterflies that may enter it.

Black-striped Hairtail

The Black-striped Hairtail (Anthene amarah) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in tropical Africa and Arabia (up to Aqaba).

The wingspan is 21-26 mm for males and 23-29 mm for females. Adults are on wing year round, with a peak in summer.The larvae feed on Acacia species, including Acacia karroo, Acacia sieberana and Acacia gerrardii.

Natal Barred Blue

The Natal Bar or Natal Barred Blue (Cigaritis natalensis) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in South Africa, from the East Cape along the coast to KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, the Orange Free State, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, the Limpopo Province, the North West Province and part of the North Cape. It is also present in Botswana.

The wingspan is 25-32.5 mm for males and 26.5-34 mm for females. Adults are on wing year round with peaks from September to October and from March to May.The larvae feed on Canthium inerme, Clerodendron glabrum and Ximenia caffra.

Foxy Charaxes

The Two-tailed Pasha or Foxy Emperor (Charaxes jasius) is a butterfly which occurs in the Mediterranean region and Africa.The wingspan is 65–75 mm in males and 75–90 mm in females. Flight period is year-round.The host plant of the caterpillars is the strawberry tree Arbutus unedo.

Butterflies in Gibraltar

On 4th April 1997, Gibraltar Post  issued the stamp set features  Anthocharis Belia Euphenoides,  Charaxes Jasius,  Vanessa Cardui and  Iphiclides Podalirius . The issuance presented  in one souvenir sheet consist of 4 postage stamps which depicts butterfly species and have background picture of flower plant.

 Anthocharis Belia Euphenoides – 23p

This lovely little butterfly , known as the Moroccan orange tip, Anthocharis belia, subspecies euphenoides.  It is found over much of Spain, southern France and parts of Italy and Switzerland, in a single brood that varies enormously in time of emergence. In Gibraltar it flies from mid-February and in the Pyrenees it is still flying at the end of July.

Charaxes Jasius  - 26p

Charaxes jasius or The Two-tailed Pasha or Foxy Emperor  is a butterfly which occurs in the Mediterranean region and Africa.Its wingspan is 65–75 mm in males and 75–90 mm in females. Flight period is year-round. The host plant of the caterpillars is the strawberry tree Arbutus unedo.

The species occurs  usually at low levels amongst hills in Mediterranean France, Portugal and neighboring Spain, most Mediterranean islands from the Balearics to Cyprus, Greece and Italy and coastal Balkans. North Africa where it is predominantly coastal.

Vanessa Cardui –30p

Vanessa Cardui or The painted lady butterfly travels around 1000 miles in its life. Its wing span is 2 inches. The painted lady caterpillar is black with spiked skin.

Vanessa Cardui is found on every continent except Antarctica and South America. It is widely distributed in the world ranging from North America, Asia and Europe to the North sub arctic.

This butterfly has a strange pattern of flying in a sort of screw shape and very active. It has a swift flight but is very attracted to flowers. Larvae feed on Asteraceae spp., including Cirsium, Carduus, Centaurea, Arctium, Helianthus, and Artemisia spp.

Iphiclides Podalirius – 1,20 GBP

Iphiclides podalirius or  The Scarce Swallowtail is widespread throughout Europe with the exception of the northern parts. Its range extends northwards to Saxony and central Poland and eastwards across Asia Minor and Transcaucasia as far as the Arabian peninsula, India, and western China.

Iphiclides podalirius is a Palearctic swallowtail butterfly found in gardens, fields and open woodlands.The food plant includes hawthorn bushes. The caterpillars spin little pads on leaves and grip them firmly.

The Scarce Swallowtail is getting rarer as the blackthorn bushes are being cleared. In some years the Scarce Swallowtail is quite abundant. It is considered Rare-Endangered and protected in some provinces of Austria and of status Indeterminate throughout Europe.