Foraging and mating behavior of the butterfly Archonias brassolis tereas (Godart, 1819) (Lepidoptera: Pieridae: Pierinae) in two sites in Southeastern Brazil

Abstract

This study describes some aspects of the foraging and mating behavior of the butterfly Archonias brassolis tereas recorded in two sites at coast of São Paulo State, Brazil, near the hills of Serra do Mar. Adults of this species forage in ten species of Asteraceae: Cyrtocymura scorpioides, Bidens alba, Chromolaena maximiliani, Austroeupatorium inulaefolium, Vernonanthura beyrichii, Mikania hatschbachi, Mikania lundiana, Elephantopus mollis, Chromolaena laeve, Chromolaena laevigatum, and two non-asterace species: Cupania oblongifolia (Sapindaceae), and Inga marginata (Fabaceae). The sexual dimorphism is weak with females being slightly heavier than males. Females can copulate with more than one male. Although courtship displays where observed in females foraging on flowers it was not seen in the recorded mating.