Noble butterfly
We are delighted that Manfred von Reumont has taken over the sponsorship of the noble butterfly Salamis cytora.
In English, the butterflies with a wingspan of up to 7 cm are called "Western Blue Beauty". This West African representative of the noble butterfly family (Nymphalidae) inhabits rainforest areas, but also more open landscapes from Guinea to Benin.
The attractive wing pattern, characterised by shades of blue, varies in both males and females.
The species exhibits pronounced territorial behaviour: individuals have often been observed attacking other butterflies flying past from a "perch" in a dive.