Greta andromica

Greta andromica(Greta andromica)

Phylum —arthropoda
Class —insecta
Order — lepidoptera
Family —nymphalidae

Genus –greta

Appearance

The caterpillar is translucent whitish-green with a pair of dark yellow stripes running along the length of the back.

The wingspan of this butterfly is 56-61 mm. The wings are transparent, bordered with brownish-redwith black veins. The apex of the forewings is black with a white stripe.

Habitat

Greta andromica is distributed from Mexico to Peru.

Behavior

It demonstrates daily activity. The flight is slow and fluttering with deep wing beats.Butterflies prefer the darkest corners of the forest. However, when feeding on flowers, they are found near forest roads and along riverbanks. Males, attracting females with pheromones, gather together with close species in large groups.Butterflies are poisonous.

Diet

The females are fed from the nectar andalso visit the bird droppings which provide them with the nitrogen they need to develop their eggs.

Reproduction

For their reproduction you need a terrarium with a size of 50 x 50 x 70 cm. The eggs are white, and are laid singly on the foodplant Cestrum (Solanaceae).The caterpillars feed on the leaves of plants from the Solanaceae family. It is better to keep the caterpillars in terrariumsfor 6-8 insects.In the terrarium, you need to place a branch of a forage plant. Forage plants should be replaced every 3-4 days. They should be keptat a room temperature and humidity of 65-75%. The pupae are yellow-green with small black dots. The pupa stage lasts 8-15 days.

In captivity

The mesh terrarium with a size of 50 × 50 × 70 mm is suitable for keeping butterflies. Room temperature is necessary. Daylight time is 12 hours. You can feed the butterflies with honey syrup diluted with boiled water in a ratio of 1: 10.