Common glider (butterfly) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Common glider
Male common glider from Mbalmayo, Cameroon
Female common glider from Kibale National Park, Uganda
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Nymphalidae
Genus:	Cymothoe
Species:	C. caenis
Binomial name
Cymothoe caenis (Drury, [1773])
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The common glider (scientific name: Cymothoe caenis) is a type of butterfly. It belongs to the Nymphalidae family, which includes many well-known butterflies. This butterfly is found across a large part of Africa.

Where Common Gliders Live

You can find the common glider butterfly in many countries in Africa. These include Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Togo. They also live in southern Nigeria, Cameroon, and the Republic of the Congo. Other places they call home are the Central African Republic, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. You might also spot them in Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia.

Their Home

Common gliders prefer to live in forests. They also like areas with lots of trees, known as heavy woodlands. These environments provide the right conditions for them to thrive.

Traveling Butterflies

The common glider is a migratory species. This means that these butterflies travel from one place to another. They often move to different areas depending on the season or to find food.

What Common Glider Caterpillars Eat

Like all butterflies, the common glider starts its life as a caterpillar. These caterpillars need to eat a lot to grow. They feed on leaves from specific plants. Their favorite foods include plants like Rawsonia usambarensis and Rawsonia lucida. They also enjoy Caloncoba gilgiana, Caloncoba glauca, Oncoba spinosa, and Oncoba welwitschii. Other plants they eat are from the Lindackeria and Uapaca groups.

Images for kids

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  A common glider butterfly resting on a leaf.