Insects of the Peruvian Amazon

In the Amazon rainforest, life also exists on a scale we sometimes forget to notice. Beneath a leaf, on a tree trunk, or among the flowers, insects are everywhere. Butterflies, beetles, stick insects, and countless other arthropods make up a remarkable share of the forest’s biodiversity, yet they often go unnoticed despite being essential to life as we know it.

This hidden diversity is exactly what I strive to observe and photograph. Behind every insect lies a story: a camouflage strategy, a relationship with a plant, a unique reproductive behavior, or an ingenious way of escaping predators.

This page brings together my encounters with the insects of the Peruvian Amazon. By taking the time to observe them, I hope to encourage you to look differently at this small world that surrounds us—a world that often remains invisible until we simply decide to slow down and pay attention.

You can also explore my other articles featuring the species I have encountered, including amphibians and birds, by clicking here.

If there is a particular species you would like me to feature, feel free to let me know in the comments. I’ll be happy to look for it during my next field outings, provided it can be found in the region, of course.

Lepidoptera

The traditional classification of butterflies and moths divided them into two groups. However, this classification has been abandoned because it does not reflect their true evolutionary relationships. Since approximately 99% of species belong to the same group under this traditional classification, I have chosen to present them by family instead.

Here is the former classification, which you may still come across in some books or hear in conversation. It is based in particular on the shape of the antennae:

• Rhopalocera (often called “butterflies”) : this group includes species whose antennae have club-shaped tips.
• Heterocera (often called “moths”) : this group includes species with other antenna shapes, such as thread-like, comb-like or feather-like antennae.

Uriniidae

Urania leilus

Identification

The French name “Green Chinese” may seem surprising, since this butterfly actually lives exclusively in tropical America. This diurnal butterfly (one that flies during the day) was once classified among the “moths”. Today, it belongs to the order Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) and the family Uraniidae.

As an adult (imago), it is a large butterfly with a wingspan of 5 to 9 cm. Its wings are black, crossed by green lines ranging from green to turquoise. Its hindwings, edged in white, end in two long white tails. The bright colours of its wings are a warning that it is toxic to predators.

My encounter

The first time I saw this butterfly, I genuinely felt as though I had stepped into Alice in Wonderland. This large butterfly, with colours worthy of Avatar, suddenly flew in front of me. There was no way I could follow it: it was far too fast. On many occasions, I have felt that same sense of joy, that fleeting feeling of inhabiting another planet. It was last year that I first encountered it, and at the time, photographing it was simply impossible…

After a few outings, I eventually realised that these butterflies had their own habits. Although they are almost impossible to follow in flight, they regularly stop to feed, particularly on rocks along the river where they come to absorb mineral salts deposited by the water.

Since then, this is where my search begins. Unlike in France, where it is often possible to photograph butterflies that are still sluggish from the cool morning temperatures, the warmth of the Amazon makes them active very early in the day. I have not yet found any large flower-filled meadows like those I was used to back home.

So what a pleasure it was to discover several individuals gathered together on the rocks. They stay there long enough for me to approach and photograph them under good conditions.

Its habitat

My observations match the information I have found in the literature: its habitat mainly consists of dense forests located near rivers.

Butterflies have what is known as a host plant. This is the plant that their caterpillars feed on. The host plant of Urania leilus is a vine of the genus Omphalea, belonging to the Euphorbiaceae family, and it is toxic. By feeding on its leaves, the caterpillars accumulate these toxic substances and, in turn, become unpalatable to their predators. This toxicity is retained into adulthood, which probably explains the butterfly’s bright colours. If I am lucky enough to find some caterpillars, I will add a photograph here in the future. 😉

Nymphalidae

Callicore cynosura

Identification

It is sometimes nicknamed the “BD” butterfly, referring to the characteristic patterns on its wings, which form the two letters “B” and “D”.

This butterfly belongs to the suborder Rhopalocera, which traditionally includes the “day-flying butterflies”, and to the family Nymphalidae. This family is notably characterized by its first pair of legs, which are greatly reduced and generally not used for walking. Nymphalidae therefore move using only two functional pairs of legs.

This highly diverse family includes Monarchs, Morphos, and the Meadow Brown, a very common butterfly in France.

Its patterns are particularly distinctive: the markings on its forewings make it relatively easy to identify, even when it is resting. However, be careful, as there are several species of Callicore.

My encounter

For me, this is one of the butterflies that best represents the image I have of the Amazon. It is the kind of species I had already seen in documentaries, on posters, or in various media featuring Latin America. Yet until then, I had never encountered one in the wild.

I finally had the chance to see one in San Roque de Cumbaza, near the Cumbaza River. It was resting on the sandbanks, not far from several Urania leilus mentioned earlier. Like them, it had come there to obtain mineral salts.

And this time, there was no need to chase after my subject! It remained quietly on the sand long enough for me to approach and photograph it. It was quite a different encounter from the one I had with the Urania leilus, whose particularly fast flight had given me a much harder time.

Its habitat

This butterfly is widely distributed throughout the Amazon rainforest, with a range extending notably from southern Brazil to northern Colombia.

Like many butterflies, it depends on one or more host plants for the development of its caterpillars. The host plant associated with this species is thought to belong to the Sapindaceae family, which includes several trees and vines found in tropical forests.

As an adult, its diet is quite different from that of many species that regularly visit flowers. It can often be observed on sandbanks and damp ground, where it absorbs mineral salts from the soil. It is also attracted to rotting fruit.

This behaviour is actually what allowed me to photograph it that day: instead of moving quickly through the forest in search of a flower, it was quietly settled along the Cumbaza River, just a few metres away from me.

The Monarch (Danaus sp.)

Identification

The Monarch is probably one of the most famous butterflies in the world. This large orange and black butterfly belongs to the Nymphalidae family and can reach a wingspan of around 12 cm. Its flight and coloration make it easy to recognize, but it can be confused with several closely related species.

In particular, it should not be confused with the Viceroy (Limenitis archippus). In the Monarch, the wings have a double row of small white spots along the black edges. The Viceroy, on the other hand, has a distinctive black line crossing its hindwings.

The Monarch (Danaus plexippus) is also famous for its migrations. The best-known North American population travels several thousand kilometers between Canada and its wintering grounds in Mexico. This phenomenon is particularly remarkable for an insect whose life cycle spans only a few generations during this migration.

The species also displays sexual dimorphism, meaning physical differences between males and females. In males, a black spot located on a vein of the hindwings corresponds to a structure called an androconium, which is involved in releasing chemical substances used during reproduction. This spot is absent in females, whose veins are generally broader and more pronounced.

My encounter

The photos I am presenting here were taken in Lima, the capital of Peru. Monarchs living in this part of the hemisphere do not migrate because the seasons are not as clearly defined. In this region, and because they do not need to migrate, their wings are said to be smaller than those of their northern counterparts.

A recent study (click here if you are curious) mentions three different Monarch species. This is why I have used Danaus sp. in the title. “Sp.” is used when a particular species is not specified.

It was a pleasure to be able to photograph it and to document its complete life cycle, from caterpillar to butterfly, including the chrysalis stage. It too is a symbol of the Americas.

Its habitat and way of life

Its distribution ranges from northern North America to northern South America. It has also been recorded in the Canary Islands, Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, New Caledonia and as far as the Mascarene Islands.

Since this species is so well documented, I would also like to take this opportunity to tell you a little more about its caterpillars. Like many insects, the Monarch caterpillar goes through several stages before reaching the chrysalis stage. It molts, just like snakes and spiders. At each stage, the caterpillar becomes larger, or in some species, develops its warning colors progressively through successive molts.

I also learned that the bright colors displayed by species that use them as a warning signal to potential predators are known as aposematism.

Finally, despite these warnings, the Monarch is still preyed upon by several animals, including birds, wasps and small mammals such as mice.

Odonata

The order Odonata, commonly known as dragonflies and damselflies, includes two suborders:

• Zygoptera (damselflies): They have slender bodies and forewings and hindwings of similar shape. At rest, they generally fold their wings together above their bodies.
• Anisoptera (dragonflies): They are characterized by generally more robust bodies and large eyes. Their forewings and hindwings have different shapes and are generally held horizontally out to the sides when resting.

Anisoptera

Zygoptera

Hemiptera

Hemiptera is a very large order of insects. To give you an idea of its diversity, here are some of the main groups traditionally distinguished within this order. The ones that interest me most belong to the suborder Auchenorrhyncha, particularly the family Membracidae, whose extraordinary shapes are well worth discovering!

• Land bugs: various families of true bugs that mainly live on land.
• Aquatic and semi-aquatic bugs: several families adapted to living in water or on its surface.
• Auchenorrhyncha: cicadas, leafhoppers and planthoppers, among others.
  • Cicadidae: cicadas.
  • Cicadellidae: leafhoppers.
  • Membracidae: treehoppers, known for their often astonishing shapes.
  • Cixiidae and Issidae: two other families within this group.
• Sternorrhyncha: aphids, scale insects and whiteflies.
• Coleorrhyncha: a small, little-known group of hemipterans, represented by specialized insects that live mainly in moist environments.

Membracidae

Hymenoptera

Hymenoptera is a very large order of insects, comprising more than 130,000 described species. Without going into too much detail, this order includes two suborders: Symphyta (sawflies and related insects) and Apocrita (bees, ants and wasps).

Rather than covering the entire order, I will introduce some of its main families. Here are six families of Apocrita that you may encounter in the following chapters:

• Apidae: honey bees, bumblebees and carpenter bees.
• Formicidae: all ant species.
• Vespidae: common wasps, potter wasps and hornets.
• Ichneumonidae: a large family of parasitoid wasps whose females often lay their eggs in or on other arthropods, particularly insect larvae.
• Braconidae: another large family of parasitoid wasps that contribute to the natural regulation of certain insect pests.
• Megachilidae: solitary bees, such as mason bees and leafcutter bees.

I have deliberately placed Hymenoptera after Hemiptera in this guide because I want to focus on ants. To obtain food, many ants exploit plant resources, such as the fungi they cultivate, or maintain relationships with other insects, particularly aphids and treehoppers, to collect their secretions. You will discover these interactions in the following chapters.

Formicidae

Cephalotes atratus

Identification

Cephalotes atratus is an arboreal ant. Its colony lives in the tree canopy, both in forests and in parks.

They measure between 8 and 14 mm in length. Males can reach 14 mm and are black. The workers are spiny and heavily armored, with powerful mandibles capable of crushing wood.

This species is also known for its gliding ability. Evolution has enabled it to leap from trees, while the shape of its head helps it glide and control its descent.

My encounter

These are the ants I encounter most often in the Amazon. They are everywhere, even in my cupboard, where they come to collect the tiniest crumbs.

Some ants have a reputation for having a terrifying bite, while others have heads straight out of a science-fiction movie. This species is proof of that. Perhaps you also tried raising an ant colony when you were a child. These days, I still prefer to keep my distance.

I find ants fascinating because they live in colonies, harvest plant material to grow fungi, tend other insects to collect their secretions, and exchange pheromones to communicate with one another.

Just like this interaction between a worker and a male, at least, that is my interpretation based on my research, although I could be mistaken.

Habitat and lifestyle

This ant is found from Central America to South America. As mentioned earlier, it is arboreal, so its colony lives in the tree canopy. It generally establishes its nest in a cavity inside a large tree, whether alive or dead.

During the day, the workers leave the nest to search for food on their host tree, in neighboring trees, or sometimes even on the ground. They are omnivorous, but feed largely on the secretions produced by treehoppers (Membracidae).

References

Wikipedia