The Eastern Congo 



creep up to a collection of Pierids feeding, each catch a large 

 Pierid (to which they seem partied) in their strong hooked 

 mandibles, kiU them and carry them off to their nest. It 

 often happens that the ant does not get a vital grip of its 

 prey ; there is then a tussle — strength of wing versus weight. 

 The butterfly will frequently carry the ant a considerable 

 distance, although the ant is usually the victor, as he never 

 lets go his grip. The feeding places of the Pierids are often 

 littered with wings and parts of wings, where these ants 

 have made a habit of coming daily to catch their food. On 

 two occasions I have observed these ants catch Acraeids and 

 take them away to their nests. 



In the plant world the large African sun-dew attracts 

 Lycaenids and Pierids. The dead and dying insects may be 

 seen caught in its wonderful fly-traps ; again others may be 

 seen fluttering around entangled in its sticky exudation. 



So much for the enemies of the mature butterfly ; but 

 the moths have more to contend with, for apart from night 

 birds — the night-jars, owls, swifts, etc. — the small rodents, 

 lemurs and bats catch and eat all they can see ; the latter 

 are especially numerous in Africa and adepts at catching all 

 kinds of insects on the wing. Then again at night come out 

 that terrible band of nocturnal insects, added to which are 

 large numbers of voracious spiders, aU on the look-out for 

 the half-awakened moth just out of its chrysalis. 



Regarding the feeding and flying together of various 

 species of butterflies, I have made many notes, but as a 

 matter of fact at one time or another both in the forest and 

 steppe regions (with a few exceptions, such as Euxanthe or 

 Mycalesis), members of almost every species can be seen 

 flying, feeding, or drinking together at one time or another. 



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