About Caligo illioneus (Cramer, 1776)
Caligo illioneus, also known as the large owl butterfly, has a wingspan that reaches around 12 to 15 centimeters, or 4.7 to 5.9 inches. The dorsal sides of its wings range from light brilliant blue to purplish, with dark brown edges. The undersides of its wings are a dull, highly cryptic brown color, and feature large yellow-rimmed eyespots that resemble an owl’s eyes. In their early life stage, caterpillars of this species are greenish with yellow stripes running along their bodies, and reach about 10 centimeters (3.9 inches) in length. In later stages, the caterpillars turn light brown with dark brown longitudinal stripes, and grow to about 12 centimeters (4.7 inches) long. These caterpillars develop on banana plants, and can cause destruction across large areas of banana plantations. Adult Caligo illioneus mainly feed on the juices of fermenting fruits. This species is native to Costa Rica, and is widespread across most of South America, particularly in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela. It lives in South American rainforests and secondary forests.
