Noble butterfly

Noble butterfly

We are delighted that Anne Beikircher has become the godmother of the Charaxes pleione butterfly.

A relatively small Charaxes with a rudimentary hindwing tail. The males are dark orange in colour, the upper half of the forewings are black-brown, the females are lighter in colour. The wingspan is approx. 4.5 - 5 cm.

Their main habitat is forests, but they can also be found on plantations and other economically utilised areas, provided there is a closed canopy.

The caterpillars feed on Acacia species (Fabaceae) with feathery leaves. Adults like to feed on excrement (e.g. from otters or monkeys) but also on fruits.

Their distribution area extends from Guinea to Nigeria (east).
They are endangered by the destruction of the rainforests.