Fountainea nessus
330 rub.

Fountainea nessus (Fountainea nessus)

Phylum arthropoda
Class — insecta
Order — lepidoptera
Family — nymphalidae

Genus – fountainea

Appearance

The caterpillar is covered with small pimples, with a striped pattern of reddish-brown and white stripes. The head is decorated with a pair of short horns.

The wingspan of this butterfly is about 60 mm. The bright pink bands on the forewings of males are overlaid with a purple-blue sheen, which varies in intensity according to the lighting conditions and angle of view. The females are equally striking, being blackish-brown with a broad swathe of metallic silver running diagonally across the forewings. Ventral wing surfaces of both sexes are cryptic and leaf-like.

Habitat

This species occurs in the eastern Andes from Colombia to Bolivia.

Behavior

Males are always seen singly, usually when imbibing mineralized moisture from damp ground, or when resting on the branches or foliage of trees. They generally keep their wings closed when at rest, but in early morning or late afternoon when temperatures are low they can sometimes be seen basking on foliage or boulders.

Butterflies tend to remain settled either on foliage or on the ground for quite long periods. If disturbed they fly up, circle around briefly, and then settle on the foliage of a nearby tree. After a few minutes, when they feel safe, they descend in a series of steps, often settling in dappled sunlight.

Diet

The caterpillars feed on the leaves of Croton from the family Euphorbiaceae.

Reproduction

For their reproduction you need a terrarium with a size of 50 x 50 x 70 cm. The eggs are white, and laid singly on the foliage of the foodplants. The caterpillars roll up something like a house from the leaves where they spend most of their time. It is better to keep the caterpillars in plastic containers closed with a grid for 6-8 insects each. In the container, you need to place a forage plant. A wet paper towel is placed on the bottom, which must be replaced daily. The temperature is 22-25 oC at the humidity of 65-75%. Pupae are green with a light spot.

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. Feed the butterflies with overripe fruits, such as a banana. You can offer them a few drops of honey syrup diluted with boiled water in a ratio of 1: 10.