Perseis Mimic Forester

Description:

A forest butterfly in the Nymphalidae family found in wet forests. Adults mimic the day-flying Geometrid moth Aletis helcita. The latter is unpalateable, so a bird that has tasted one quickly learns to avoid attacking any similarly coloured insect. They are attracted to fallen fruit.

Habitat:

A long muddy road through tropical rainforest.

Notes:

Upperside: antennae black. Thorax and abdomen black, spotted with white. Anterior wings black, the tips edged with white; two pale lemon-coloured spots are situated in the centre of the wings, one being long, the other round; between which and the tips is a long lemon streak, extending from the anterior almost to the external edges; a large patch of a dull red is also placed on the hinder part of the wings, extending along the posterior edges from the shoulders almost to the lower corners. Posterior wings dull red coloured, bordered with black, whereon are seven small white spots placed along the external edges, and reaching from the upper to the abdominal corners. All the wings are dentated.