| Green-banded Urania (Urania leilus (Linnaeus, 1758)) |
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Scientific name: Urania leilus (Linnaeus, 1758) Common name: Green-banded Urania French name: Chinois vert Order: Lepidoptera Suborder: Heterocera Family: Uraniidae Subfamily: Uraniinae Wingspan: 85 mm. Biotope: River banks in primary and secondary forests, up to an altitude of 800 metres. Geographic area: Tropical regions of the northern part of South America east of the Andes, Venezuela, east Colombia, east Ecuador, Brazil, east Peru, north Bolivia, Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana, Trinidad. This is a migratory moth which can be seen as far as north of the Lesser Antilles. Flight time: Mainly early in the rain season when this moth is sometimes observed in large groups. The flight period may be longer in high regions. Number of generations : Caterpillar: Host plant: Liana Omphalea diandra. |
The Green-banded Urania is a large heterocera which is flying during the day. It has black wings with green stripes. The fore wings are crossed by a broader green median stripe. The hind wings are bordered with white near the margin and bear two long white tails. The antennae are thread-like and do not show any clubbed tip. The similar species, the Urania Swallowtail Moth (Urania fulgens), does not show any green stripe after the broad median band on the fore wings. The white colour near the hind wings margins and on the tails is reduced to a thin line. The tails appear black. |
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I have shot this picture at Awala Yalimapo, les Hattes, while walking on a footpath going southwards from the D22 road. This is the only Green-banded Urania observed during my short stay in French Guiana. In fact the first part of the rain season is already over. I have been told that many of these moths were observed earlier in the season. The hind wings are damaged and miss the two long tails. |
André Bon May 2014