wingspan : 70 mm
Eueides procula is a butterfly from Central America, some subspecies of which reach Colombia and Venezuela (Holzinger 1994). according to Holzinger two subspecies fly in Ecuador, E. pr. edias in the rio Topo area, and E. pr. eurysaces, near Balzapamba (Bolivar) ; it obviously flies much farther South, as far as Vilcabamba.
on the road to 9 de Octubre we saw quite a few males of Eueides procula, visiting blossoms on a tree ; they were flying quite high and we could only collect three ; it was in November ; seen also near Baños and Río Verde.
presence of Eueides procula ssp at 9 de Octubre
Eueides procula flies from Mexico to Ecuador ; Holzinger considers seven subspecies, two of them flying in Ecuador :
- Eueides procula eurysaces which flies in the Quito/Balzapampa area, is rather light colored, and can sometimes be almost tansparent,
- and Eueides procula edias which flies in Colombia (Calì, Tachira), and also near el Topo in the Baños/Puyo Corridor(?).
Holzinger says nothing about Northern Ecuador, but if it flies at Tachira and at el Topo, it has to fly between the two.
our Eueides procula from 9 de Octubre don't look really like the E. pr. edias illustrated in Holzinger, and they're very variable.
we know of a specimen, quite small, collected near Vilcabamba, in Southern Ecuador and that looks like our specimen n°1.
and in the "Butterflies of Ecuador Database" Keith Willmott lists three Eueides procula edias, one from the same place near Vilcabamba, and two from the Baños/Puyo Corridor.
any information on, and any picture of, Eueides procula from Ecuador, would prove very helpful !
