Common Owl

Caligo telamonius is a nymphalid owl butterfly in the tribe Brassolini. Memnon and menus are recognized subspecies of Caligo telamonius. [1][2]

The hindwing underside carries a large, dark, eye-like marking against a mottled brown ground. The Florida Museum gives an adult wingspan of 152–165 mm. [1][3]

The species occurs in Central and South America. The form memnon ranges from eastern and southwestern Mexico to Nicaragua; menus occurs from Costa Rica to Colombia. The nominate form was described from Colombia. [1][2]

At Siwiní in Mexico, C. telamonius memnon inhabits cloud forest. [3]

A captive colony studied in Colombia produced spherical white eggs that became light brown after four days and hatched after nine to ten days. Larvae passed through five instars, developing conspicuous head processes and a forked tail. The final instar was brown with longitudinal bands; the brown pupa bore paired silver patches on the wing cases. [4]

In that colony, larvae consumed young Musa and Heliconia leaves. Adults were maintained on fermenting banana, plantain, mango and papaya. [4]

Adults are most active around dawn and dusk and rest on tree bark during the day. In the Colombian rearing study, final-instar larvae consumed most of their food at night, although some daytime feeding occurred. [3][4]

Felder and Felder described telamonius in 1862 and memnon in 1867. The name Common Owl refers to the eye-like hindwing markings. [1][2][3]

Keep the enclosure closed and display it in indirect light, away from heat and damp conditions. Handle the frame by its edges and clean only its exterior according to the maker’s instructions.