Page 217 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

BUTTERFLY CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Nymphalidae
DISTRIBUTION Eastern slopes of the Andes in Ecuador
HABITAT Mid-elevation cloud forests, especially in areas with heavy
bamboo undergrowth
HOST PLANTS Dwarf Bamboo (Chusquea cf. scandens)
NOTE Caterpillar that feeds gregariously when young and is
solitary later
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated, but may have a very restricted geographic range

ADULT WINGSPAN
2⅛–2⅜ in (55–60 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
DAEDALMA RUBROREDUCTA 1 ⁄ –1⅜ in (30–35 mm)

DAEDALMA
RUBROREDUCTA 215
PYRCZ & WILLMOTT, 2011

Just after hatching, tiny Daedalma rubroreducta caterpillars
huddle in a tightly packed group on the underside of a leaf. Later,
prior to molt, they aggregate at the apex of the skeletonized

food plant leaf, rearing back and regurgitating dark uid when
disturbed. As they grow older, they form lines along a narrow
portion of a leaf, hanging in a vertical position under the larval
weight. They later break into groups of two to ve individuals,

only dispersing as nal instars.

Discovered only recently, Daedalma rubroreducta may have
a broader range than is currently known, possibly extending
into the eastern Andes of Colombia and Peru. The butter ies,

when seen, are usually found feeding at animal droppings or
other rotting organic matter. Daedalma rubroreducta is the only
member of the genus to have its full life history described.
However, related species are also known to feed on montane
bamboos, and similarly to have caterpillars that resemble sticks
and pupae that look like dead leaves.

Actual size
The Daedalma rubroreducta caterpillar is, overall,
much like a mossy stick and roughly square in cross
section. Its coloration is complex, consisting of various
shades of brown with mossy green and black ecks
and highlights. The caterpillar’s resemblance to
detritus is enhanced by its rough, tubercle-covered
skin and short, eshy, bi d tails. The head is roughly
square, with small, conical “ears” on the top.