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Narrow-banded Dartwhite on Mother-of-pearl-plant flower

Catasticta flisa

(Narrow-banded Dartwhite / Mariposa de bandas blancas)

 

Taken in La Ceja; Colombia; 2.300 meters above sea level.

 

The genus Catasticta is comprised of about 90 species, all found in the Andes and in the Cordilleras of Central America.

 

Catasticta flisa occurs as 13 named subspecies distributed from Mexico to Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela.

 

In Colombia it is present in the three Andean mountain ranges between 1200 and 2400 m .

 

Males are usually found singly. They often sit wedged amongst small semi-submerged rocks and pebbles at the edge of shallow streams, or where small fords cross mountain roads. At these times they are very reluctant to move, perhaps because the cool water reduces their body temperature.

 

Females rarely settle on the ground, and are instead encountered in flight on mountain passes, or when feeding at flowers at cloudforest / grassland transition zones.

 

www.learnaboutbutterflies.com/Andes%20-%20Catasticta%20fl...

 

www.cortolima.gov.co/sites/default/files/images/stories/c...

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Uploaded on March 15, 2015
Taken on January 17, 2015