Immature stages and natural history of the Andean butterfly Altinote ozomene (Nymphalidae: Heliconiinae: Acraeini)

The immature stages (eggs, larvae and pupae), oviposition and larval behavior of Altinote ozomene (Godart, 1819) are described here for the first time. Larvae were reared from egg clutches collected from the host plants Erato vulcanica (Klatt) H.Rob and Munnozia senecionidis Benth (Asteraceae). Eggs were laid in groups on the undersides of leaves. The number of instars varied from five to eight within the same egg clutch, and the corresponding development time from larva to adult varied from 91 to 115 days. Most (72%) larvae pupated during the sixth instar. The first four instars fed only on the leaf cuticle, whereas later instars consumed the whole leaf. Larvae were gregarious during all instars but rested together only during the day in later instars, either hidden inside dry leaves, on the stem at the base of the host plants, or in the leaf litter. Larvae showed similar morphology and behavior to those previously described for species of Actinote Hübner, 1819 from southeastern Brazil and the Andes.