Caligo telamonius memnon
Species of butterfly in the family Nymphalidae
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Caligo telamonius memnon, commonly known as the giant owl or pale owl, is a subspecies of butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.[1] This subspecies can be found in rainforests and secondary forests from Mexico to the Amazon rainforest in South America.[1]
| Giant owl | |
|---|---|
| |
| Dorsal view | |
 | |
| Ventral view | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nymphalidae |
| Genus: | Caligo |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: | C. t. memnon |
| Trinomial name | |
| Caligo telamonius memnon | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
The wingspan is usually from 115 to 130 mm, but can reach 150 mm.
The larvae feed on Musa, Canna and Heliconia species and can be a pest for banana cultivation. Adults feed on juices of rotting fruit.
Gallery
Larva
A pair at La Paz Waterfall Gardens, Costa Rica
A close up of the species
