Mynes geoffroyi

Mynes geoffroyi (Guerin-Melville, 1830)
(previously known as : Nymphalis geoffroyi)
White Nymph
NYMPHALINAE , NYMPHALIDAE

Don Herbison-Evans ( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley

(updated 25 May 2009)

Mynes geoffroyi
young larvae
(Photo: courtesy of Robert Whyte, Brisbane)

The Caterpillars are initially orange with black hairs. Later they become black with pink hairs, and later still mottled grey and green and brown. They are well camouflaged, and look like the flowers and developing fruit on which they feed. They are gregarious and inclined to stay in clusters.

(Photo: courtesy of Colin Cook, Byron Bay, NSW)

They feed on various stinging trees ( URTICACEAE ) including :

Gympie Bush ( Dendrocnide moroides ),

Shiny Stinging Tree ( Dendrocnide photinophylla ), and

Australian Mulberry ( Pipturus argenteus ).

mature larva hanging on its thread
(Photo: courtesy of Neil Hewett, Cooper Creek Wilderness, North Queensland)

When disturbed, the Caterpillars are inclined to drop and hang by a silken thread.

(Photo: courtesy of Colin Cook, Byron Bay, NSW)

The pupa is dark brown and spiky, with darker tips to the spikes, and a white spot under each side of the thorax. The pupa hangs from a leaf or twig, often several hanging together from the same support.

The wings of the male and female adult butterflies are different.

Female
(Photo: courtesy of Steven Pearson, Bowen Management Unit, Parks Division, Queensland Environmental Protection Agency)

The males are white with black margins, and with a white arc in the black forewing wingtips. They bear a remarkable resemblance to some of the PIERIDAE, such as Delias mysis and Delias nigrina.

Male
(Specimen: courtesy of the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney)

Underneath, they are white with black, yellow and red arcs around the edges.

Male underside
(Specimen: courtesy of the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney)

The females are similar in pattern, but with grey substituting for the white. The undersides are paler versions of the upper surfaces. The wingspan of the male butterflies is about 5 cms. The females have a wingspan of about 6 cms.

Female
(Photo: courtesy of Steven Pearson, Bowen Management Unit, Parks Division, Queensland Environmental Protection Agency)

The eggs of this species are orange and laid in clusters of several dozen under a leaf of a foodplant.

The species is found as several subspecies in New Guinea and Indonesia, and in Australia, subspecies guerini is found along the coastal areas of northen New South Wales and Queensland.

Butterflies of this species may be purchased for release at weddings etc.