| Sulzer's Lady Slipper (Pierella lamia (Sulzer, 1776)) |
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Scientific name: Pierella lamia (Sulzer, 1776) Common name: Sulzer's Lady Slipper French name: Order: Lepidoptera Suborder: Rhopalocera Family: Nymphalidae Subfamily: Satyrinae Wingspan: About 60mm. Biotope: Dark areas in the tropical rain forest, on the litter. Geographic area: Colombia, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia. Flight time: All year round. Number of generations : Caterpillar: Brownish with darker diffuse marks and many thin longitudinal lines on the back and along the sides. The head has two small horns and the tail shows a pair of caudal claws. Host plant: Caterpillars of the Pierella genus have been observed on plants of the Heliconia and Calathea genus. |
The Pierella genus includes 11 species which can be recognized by their specific wing shape. The fore wings are elongated with a rounded apex. The hind wings are larger and wider than the fore wings, this is an exception among butterfly species. Pierella lamia has beige-coloured wings, striped with three thin dark brown lines. The upper side of the hind wings show a submarginal alignment of 5 small white-pupiled black eyespots. These eyespots appear like simple tiny white dots on the underside of the wings. You can also distinguish a few dark brown spots close to the base of the wings and two or three white spots in the submarginal area of the fore wings, close to the apex. |
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I have shot this picture at Saül, while walking along the Monts la Fumée footpath. The mobility and the rapid flight of these butterflies associated with the lack of light where they are used to flying make it difficult to take pictures. |
André Bon July 2014