Periander Metalmark

Description:

I found this Periander Metalmark (Rhetus periander) nearby a pond in the Andes. With a bit of perseverance, I was able to catch him. I say him because I’m pretty sure it was a male. Then, I released the butterfly, but something incredible happened: it followed me back home! I presume that it had to do with a secretion that the butterfly left in my finger. Later on, I did some research and found that the substance was a pheromone. For 10 minutes or so my hand became the butterfly’s home. Then, my ‘buddy’ left my ‘body’ and flew back to the pond.

Habitat:

Mérida, Venezuela

Notes:

White stripes were almost invisible in this specimen. Additionally, the bottom pattern was all connected. Therefore, it was slightly different from the Rhetus periander. A variation perhaps?