Amauris ochlea explained

Amauris ochlea, the novice, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in southern and south-east Africa.

The wingspan is 55–60 mm for males and 60–65 mm for females. Adults are on wing year round (with peaks in summer and autumn).^[1]

The larvae feed on Tylophora anomala, Tylophora stolzii, Gymnema, Marsdenia, Secamone, Cynanchum chirindense, Cyanchum abyssinicum, Cynanchum medium, Cynanchum nigrum, Cynanchum natalitium and Cynanchum vincetoxicum.^[2]

Subspecies

• Amauris ochlea ochlea (eastern Kenya to Zululand, Natal)
• Amauris ochlea affinis Aurivillius, 1911 (Comoro Islands)
• Amauris ochlea bumilleri Lanz, 1896 (northern Malawi, south-western Tanzania, Zambia)
• Amauris ochlea darius Rothschild & Jordan, 1903 (northern Kenya (Meru, Mount Kulai) to southern Somalia and southern Ethiopia)
• Amauris ochlea moya Turlin, 1994 (Comoro Islands)
• Amauris ochlea ochleides Staudinger, 1896 (Eritrea, northern Ethiopia)

Gallery

Specimens from the coastal forest at Mabibi, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.

References

• Seitz, A. Die Gross-Schmetterlinge der Erde 13: Die Afrikanischen Tagfalter. Plate XIII 24 a nominate b bumilleri

Notes and References

1. Book: Woodhall, Steve . Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa . 2005 . Cape Town, South Africa . Struik . 978-1-86872-724-7 .
2. http://ftp.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/papilionoidea/nymphalidae/danainae/amauris/ "Amauris Hübner, 1816"