Cuba Trip Report - Butterflies and Odes
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Steve Mirick
Apr 3, 2026, 1:16:32 PM (6 days ago) Apr 3
to NHButterfly, Mass Leps, NHDS
Jane and I traveled down to Cuba (yes Cuba!) for a 10-day birding
trip organized by Lisa Sorenson of BirdsCarribean.
https://www.birdscaribbean.org/
Despite the difficult situation down there, the trip went flawlessly and we got all of the "expected" endemic species of birds of Cuba. We had a great time!
https://ebird.org/tripreport/488831
As usual, I spent a lot of my time....while watching birds....also watching for any insects I could photograph!
Despite a (relative to Texas) lush appearance and a recent rainstorm before our arrival, Cuba appeared to be in a drought situation with water levels below normal. I really don't have a good feel as to how dry it is, or is not, but some flood plains were dry as a bone.
With the exception of mosquitoes at one location (perhaps due to recent rains), insect numbers and diversity seemed very low although I'm certainly not an authority. Some fields of flowers seemingly devoid of pollinators. Perhaps because of time of year and lack of rain?? I worked hard for what I was able to document. I ended up with 53 photographs and 25 species of butterflies. Assuming the ID's are correct of course:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=6944&subview=map&taxon_id=47224&user_id=stevemirick&verifiable=any&view=species
Interesting species included:
Cuban Calisto - Endemic to Cuba and the Bahamas. Fairly common locally.
Caribbean Ruby-Eye - One. Not endemic, but generally not commonly reported in iNat and most commonly in the Caribbean.
Mercureal Skipper - One. 8th record in iNaturalist for Cuba.
Proteides maysi - One. Endemic to Cuba and only the 12th record in iNaturalist.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/346626547
One other Lep of interest was Urania boisduvalii a species of day flying moth. These beautiful big moths were very common, flying around in the morning and evenings, but we only saw it around Vinales in western Cuba. And they were very difficult to photograph as they rarely landed and seemed to nectar high up in trees. Apparently, they're an endemic species of Urania moth that migrates within Cuba. The moth is able to metabolize poisons from its host plant (Omphalea spp.) which provide it with defense against predators in its adult form. But apparently the host plants can produce secondary metabolites as a defense against the moth's larvae and this forces the adults to migrate.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/346892111
Odonates were also in short supply. I only got 15 photos of 7 common species:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=6944&subview=map&taxon_id=47792&user_id=stevemirick&verifiable=any&view=species
Steve Mirick
Bradford, MA
https://www.birdscaribbean.org/
Despite the difficult situation down there, the trip went flawlessly and we got all of the "expected" endemic species of birds of Cuba. We had a great time!
https://ebird.org/tripreport/488831
As usual, I spent a lot of my time....while watching birds....also watching for any insects I could photograph!
Despite a (relative to Texas) lush appearance and a recent rainstorm before our arrival, Cuba appeared to be in a drought situation with water levels below normal. I really don't have a good feel as to how dry it is, or is not, but some flood plains were dry as a bone.
With the exception of mosquitoes at one location (perhaps due to recent rains), insect numbers and diversity seemed very low although I'm certainly not an authority. Some fields of flowers seemingly devoid of pollinators. Perhaps because of time of year and lack of rain?? I worked hard for what I was able to document. I ended up with 53 photographs and 25 species of butterflies. Assuming the ID's are correct of course:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=6944&subview=map&taxon_id=47224&user_id=stevemirick&verifiable=any&view=species
Interesting species included:
Cuban Calisto - Endemic to Cuba and the Bahamas. Fairly common locally.
Caribbean Ruby-Eye - One. Not endemic, but generally not commonly reported in iNat and most commonly in the Caribbean.
Mercureal Skipper - One. 8th record in iNaturalist for Cuba.
Proteides maysi - One. Endemic to Cuba and only the 12th record in iNaturalist.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/346626547
One other Lep of interest was Urania boisduvalii a species of day flying moth. These beautiful big moths were very common, flying around in the morning and evenings, but we only saw it around Vinales in western Cuba. And they were very difficult to photograph as they rarely landed and seemed to nectar high up in trees. Apparently, they're an endemic species of Urania moth that migrates within Cuba. The moth is able to metabolize poisons from its host plant (Omphalea spp.) which provide it with defense against predators in its adult form. But apparently the host plants can produce secondary metabolites as a defense against the moth's larvae and this forces the adults to migrate.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/346892111
Odonates were also in short supply. I only got 15 photos of 7 common species:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=6944&subview=map&taxon_id=47792&user_id=stevemirick&verifiable=any&view=species
Steve Mirick
Bradford, MA
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