Monk

Description:

Amauris tartarea, the Monk or Dusky Friar, is a butterfly in the Nymphalidae family. They are large butterflies with blackish-brown upperside, marked with conspicuous white or cream blotches. Adult males mud-puddle and imbibe pyrrolizidine alkaloids from Heliotropium species, especially from the roots of dug-up plants. Both sexes are attracted to flowers. The species is mimicked by Hypolimnas anthedon. Males can often be seen in groups of 4 or 5 imbibing mineralised moisture from muddy patches, or sequestering pyrrolizidine alkaloids from broken Heliotropium roots on logging roads. Both sexes visit a wide range of flowers but show a strong preference for Lantana.

Habitat:

I saw these butterflies every night at dusk as they returned to a large tree in the grounds of the Lodge, to roost on the leaves for the night.

Notes:

This species is found mainly in open disturbed forest but also penetrates agricultural areas provided that there are a few thickets or clumps of mature woodland.