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Wildlife Spotting

Photo by pamsai
Published on Project Noah
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9.55, -83.81

Field Notes

Description:

One of the Glasswing butterflies.
I 'chased' this one for quite some way and it kept getting higher up the valley and deeper into the forest. Eventually I got a shot on full zoom, a long way off !
I think last time I was in Costa Rica I only saw them with the white streak totally across the wing.

Habitat:

Seen along a small river in Alpine Cloud forest, 2200 meters

Notes:

Sorry for the poor photo, it was a long way off in a dark part of the forest ! I just wanted to record that I saw it in this place, as last time, I didn't...

The last photo shows the habitat. The butterfly is right in the center of the frame.

Species ID Suggestions

Ticida Glasswing

Pteronymia ticida

Reference Link
James McNair
1

Comments (17)
pamsai
Golly James, so hard to say. All looks good apart from the missing short white line. Wish I'd managed a better photo, but it was a long way away and quite dark in the forest.
bayucca
I am as well better in photos and shopping rather than photoshopping! I zry later.
pamsai
bayucca, found another photo of the upper wing, and tried to correct the original photo a bit in Photoshop (which I don't really know how to use !)
bayucca
Post every spotting, sometimes bayucca has an enlightment of the third kind...
pamsai
thank you bayucca once again for taking the time to try on such an unclear photo. Probably shouldn't post these unclear ones in future !!
pamsai
Yes Rahul, that's what makes them so difficult to ID, presuming the photo is clear, almost impossible with this foggy one. Well impossible really I suppose.
bayucca
It is either Episcada salvinia, Pteronymia simplex or Pteronymia artena. Cannot get closer from this picture, sorry.
Rahul Upadhyay
Aah I am amazed by this! There are so many of these, all looking so similar and yet in different genera. :):)
bayucca
Could be but also Episcada salvinia. There are several ones around that could be candidates, but we need to see the veins and head for being sure.
bayucca
James, the ID on your link is wrong. It cannot be Greta oto. Brown margin is too narrow and the veins are different. Here is a trusted Greta morgane oto: http://butterfliesofamerica.com/images/Nymphalidae/Ithomiinae/Greta_morgane_oto/Greta_morgane_oto_San_Andres_Tuxtla_VER_MX_5-VI-08_440.jpg
James McNair
I agree with Greta oto based on striped body and horizontal thick band near top front of wing. http://www.anywherecostarica.com/flora-fauna/invertebrates/glasswing-butterfly
bayucca
I certainly nevertheless will try to narrow it down.
pamsai
Oh pity bayucca. Thought maybe you could make it out. And I've left that place now. But I'll go back one day and see if I can get a clearer photo. I saw 2 of them while I was there.
pamsai
thanks Rahaul...Don't think it's a Greta oto though.
bayucca
Not Greta morgane oto. A little bit too blurry for a safe ID?

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Butterflies & Moths of the World
Mission
Paso Pacifico Survey
Mission
Insects of Costa Rica
Mission
Life in Costa Rica
Photographed
PublishedMay 5, 2015

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