page_title: Bicyclus anynana
section_title: Mud puddling
hierarchical_section_title: Bicyclus anynana / Habitat and feeding / Mud puddling
caption_attribution_description: English: Common Emigrant or Lemon Emigrant Catopsilia pomona (syn. Catopsila crocale) in Narsapur, Medak district, Andhra Pradesh, India.
context_page_description: Bicyclus anynana is a small brown butterfly in the family Nymphalidae, the most globally diverse family of butterflies. It is primarily found in eastern Africa from southern Sudan to Swaziland. It is found mostly in woodland areas and flies close to the ground. Male wingspans are 35–40 mm and female wingspans are 45–49 mm.
  The bush brown is helpful for research because of its ideal size and breeding time. In addition to this, the bush brown is one of many insect species to vary its coloration depending on the season, making it a valuable tool in studying phenotypic plasticity. Wet seasons produce butterflies with large eyespots, while dry seasons have butterflies dull in color.
  Male butterflies engage in mud-puddling, which involves taking up nutrients by aggregating on wet soil and dung. Males use pheromones to attract females during courtship. However, courtship in the bush brown is notable for its plasticity: temperature during adult development plays a large role in determining the rate of male courtship as well as the roles of males and females during the courtship process. The bush brown uses its eyespots as a defense against avian predators.
context_section_description: The squinting bush brown has been known to participate in the phenomena of mud puddling.  This is a specific type of feeding pattern where the butterfly will take up nutrients and sodium through the aggregating on the mud or dung. However, this behavior is only seen in males. Females that have mated with males who have been puddling experience no significant reproductive benefit due to their mate's puddling.
caption: Common emigrant butterflies mud-puddling
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