Gaudy Baron

Description:

Nymphalidae; Nymphalinae; Limenitidini; Euthalia lubentina Fruhstorfer, 1913. "Formerly the Nymphalidae subfamily Limenitidinae, which includes the admirals and relatives. The common names of many species and genera reference military ranks or titles of nobility (namely those from former tribe Adoliadini, e.g., count, duke, earl, and marquis), in reference to these butterflies' large size, bold patterns, and dashing flight. In particular, the light stripe running lengthwise across the wings of many Limenitidini has reminded earlier authors of officers' (e.g. admiral, commander, commodore) shoulder marks and epaulets." Philippine Lepidoptera.

Habitat:

Spotted this Gaudy Baron on a cyclone fence which runs along the roadside border of a rice field. Behind the fence, there is plenty of foliage and grasses as well as some mango trees on the strip of land between the fence and the rice field proper.

Notes:

The butterfly was unsettled by my presence and was moving around on the wire fence, but I could not get any pictures other than the dorsal view shown here. I went around the fence into the rice field to try and get a ventral shot, but my crashing through the undergrowth caused the butterfly to fly up into a mango tree, out of reach of my lens.