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Monk
Amauris tartarea
2.27841, 31.6857
Field Notes
Description:
Amauris tartarea, the Monk or Dusky Friar, is a butterfly in the Nymphalidae family.
They are large butterflies with blackish-brown upperside, marked with conspicuous white or cream blotches.
Adult males mud-puddle and imbibe pyrrolizidine alkaloids from Heliotropium species, especially from the roots of dug-up plants. Both sexes are attracted to flowers. The species is mimicked by Hypolimnas anthedon.
Males can often be seen in groups of 4 or 5 imbibing mineralised moisture from muddy patches, or sequestering pyrrolizidine alkaloids from broken Heliotropium roots on logging roads. Both sexes visit a wide range of flowers but show a strong preference for Lantana.
Habitat:
I saw these butterflies every night at dusk as they returned to a large tree in the grounds of the Lodge, to roost on the leaves for the night.
Notes:
This species is found mainly in open disturbed forest but also penetrates agricultural areas provided that there are a few thickets or clumps of mature woodland.
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