Borbo borbonica (Boisduval, 1833)


Borbo borbonica: Male (S-Spain, Cadiz, Velez de la Frontera, Rio Barbate, late September 2017) [N] Borbo borbonica: Male (S-Spain, Cadiz, Velez de la Frontera, Rio Barbate, late September 2017) [N] Borbo borbonica: Male (S-Spain, Cadiz, Velez de la Frontera, Rio Barbate, late September 2017) [N] Borbo borbonica: Male (S-Spain, Cadiz, Velez de la Frontera, Rio Barbate, late September 2017) [N] Borbo borbonica: Male (S-Spain, Cadiz, Velez de la Frontera, Rio Barbate, late September 2017) [N] Borbo borbonica: Adult (S-Spain, Cadiz, Velez de la Frontera, Rio Barbate, late September 2017) [N] Borbo borbonica: Adult (S-Spain, Cadiz, Velez de la Frontera, Rio Barbate, late September 2017) [N] Borbo borbonica: Adult (S-Spain, Cadiz, Velez de la Frontera, Rio Barbate, late September 2017) [N] Borbo borbonica: Adult (S-Spain, Cadiz, Velez de la Frontera, Rio Barbate, late September 2017) [N] Borbo borbonica: Adult (S-Spain, Cadiz, Velez de la Frontera, Rio Barbate, late September 2017) Borbo borbonica: Female (S-Spain, Cadiz, Velez de la Frontera, Rio Barbate, late September 2017) [N] Borbo borbonica: Female on Lythrum (S-Spain, Cadiz, Velez de la Frontera, Rio Barbate, late September 2017) [N] Borbo borbonica: Copulation (S-Spain, Cadiz, Velez de la Frontera, Rio Barbate, late September 2017) [N] Borbo borbonica: Copulation (S-Spain, Cadiz, Velez de la Frontera, Rio Barbate, late September 2017) [N] Borbo borbonica: Copulation (S-Spain, Cadiz, Velez de la Frontera, Rio Barbate, late September 2017) [N] Borbo borbonica: Copulation (S-Spain, Cadiz, Velez de la Frontera, Rio Barbate, late September 2017) [N] Borbo borbonica: Copulation (S-Spain, Cadiz, Velez de la Frontera, Rio Barbate, late September 2017) [N] Borbo borbonica: Copulation (S-Spain, Cadiz, Benalup, Rio Barbate, late September 2017) [N] Borbo borbonica: Infertile egg (from copulation, Spain, Cadiz, Barbate river near Vejer de la Frontera, late September 2017) [S] Borbo borbonica: Habitat (S-Spain, Cadiz, Velez de la Frontera, Rio Barbate, late September 2017) [N] Borbo borbonica: Habitat (S-Spain, Cadiz, Velez de la Frontera, Rio Barbate, late September 2017) [N] Borbo borbonica: Habitat (S-Spain, Cadiz, Velez de la Frontera, Rio Barbate, late September 2017) [N] Borbo borbonica: Habitat with Panicum (S-Spain, Cadiz, Benalup, Rio Barbate, late September 2017) [N] Borbo borbonica: Habitat with Panicum (S-Spain, Cadiz, Benalup, Rio Barbate, late September 2017) [N] Borbo borbonica: Habitat (S-Spain, Cadiz, Benalup, Rio Barbate, late September 2017) [N] Borbo borbonica: Habitat (S-Spain, Cadiz, Benalup, Rio Barbate, late September 2017) [N]

Host plants:
The larvae feed on Poaceae, especially sorghum and panicum grasses. In Europe the species was recorded on Polypogon viridis. But Panicum repens should be an important host plant, too, even if there are no direct observations so far.

Habitat:
Borbo borbonica inhabits especially wetlands and is mainly found along lakes, ponds and rivers in Europe.

Life cycle:
The adults occur year-round in Africa, but in Europe only between (late) May and October. The butterflies are especially active in the first half of the day and then withdraw from the heat. Lythrum and Inula viscosa are important nectar sources, but I also observed visits on Ecballium elaterium.

Remarks:
Borbo borbonica occurs in parts of Africa and the Near East. In Europe it is only known from S-Spain (especially Cadiz, but also Malaga).