CHARAXES CANDIOPE
300 rub.

CHARAXES CANDIOPE(Charaxes candiope)

Phylumarthropoda
Class —insecta
Order — lepidoptera
Family —nymphalidae

Genus –charaxes

Appearance

Newborn caterpillars are green with a black head. The older caterpillars are green, covered with short pimples, with four backward-pointing black horns on the head. The caterpillar has six white spots on its back.

The wingspan is 45–55 mm in males and 50–60 mm in females. The basic color of the upperside wings is tawny or orange tawny, with a basal area slightly paler or pale ochre yellow. The unscaled veins and the costal edge of forewing are green. The hindwings have a submarginal black band with a series of tawny ochreous or whitish interstitial spots. The undersides of the forewings are clayish, slightly ochreous, while the hindwings are sepia color. Forewings are rather falcade, while the hindwings have two small tails protruding from the lower edge.

Habitat

This species can be found in most of the Afrotropical realm (Sub-Saharan Africa).

Behavior

This butterfly is very territorial and according to the Guinness World Records is the most aggressive butterfly in existence.

It demonstrates daily activity.Flight period is from October to June.

Diet

Larvae feed on Croton sylvaticus, Croton gratissimus, and Croton megalocarpus.

The butterflies feed on sap flowing from wounds on trees and rotting fruit. They like to feed on fresh manure and rotten meat.

Reproduction

For their reproduction you need a terrarium with a size of 50 x 50 x 70 cm. Females lay eggs one at a time on the top of the leaves of the forage plant.The eggs are yellow, about 2 mm in diameter.Incubation lasts 4-5 days.

It is better to keep the caterpillars in terrariums of 6-8 pieces.In the terrarium, you need to place a branch of a forage plant. Forage plants should be replaced every 3-4 days.The temperature is 22-26oC. The humidity is 50-65%. The pupa is bright green. The duration of the pupal stage is 3 weeks. Butterflies live for about 14 days.

In captivity

The mesh terrarium with a size of 50 × 50 × 70 mm is suitable for keeping butterflies. Room temperature is necessary. Daylight time is 12 hours. You can feed butterflies an overripe banana or with honey syrup diluted with boiled water in a ratio of 1:10.