Opsiphanes invirae (Hübner, [1808])

Common Name:
Lowland Owlet

Synonyms:

Potamis invirae (Hübner,  [1808])

Natural History:

Opsiphanes invirae occurs throughout all the year at forests in the central Amazon. Males and females inhabit the understory and canopy and are crepuscular species. 

As with as other species of butterflies of the genus, O. invirae the caterpillar feeds on various palm trees and can appear in high numbers on plants in the large cities (Brown Jr., 1992).

Distribution:
Bolivia; Brasil; Colombia; Ecuador; Guyana; Guyane française; Honduras; Panamá; Paraguay; Perú

Feeding Adult:

Adults feed on rotting fruits

Feeding Caterpillars:

According compiled by Beccaloni et al. (2008), are recorded:

Heliconiaceae: Heliconia sp.

Musaceae: Musa acuminata, Musa paradisiaca, Musa sapientum

Palmae: Archontophoenix cunninghamiana, Bactris sp., Bactris major, Butia capitata, Butia eriospatha, Cocos sp., Cocos nucifera, Copernicia prunifera, Elaeis sp., Elaeis guineensis, Geonoma sp., Livistona australis, Livistona chinensis, Livistona rotundifolia, Phoenix sp., Phoenix canariensis, Phoenix loureiri, Prestoe sp., Raphia sp., Rhapis excelsa, Rhapis humilis, Roystonea sp., Roystonea oleracea, Syagrus romanzoffiana, Washingtonia robusta.

Color:
brown, orange

Habitat:
forest, anthropogenic

Publications:

Brown Jr. K (1992):

Borboletas da Serra do Japi: diversidade, habitats, recursos alimentares e variação temporal. In:n História Natural da Serra do Japi: ecologia e preservação de uma área florestal no Sudeste do Brasil., Campinas, Unicamp: 142-186

Beccaloni G.W, Viloria A.L., Hall S.K., Robinson G.S. (2008):

Catalogue of the hostplants of the Neotropical butterflies. Book., London, S.E.A., Ribes, CYTED, Natural History Museum, IVIC: 1-536