Partial Life History of Burara etelka etelka (Great Orange Awlet)

Partial Life History of Burara etelka (Great Orange Awlet)

Butterfly Description

The species is almost similar to the much common Orange Awlet but bigger in size. Both male and female looks alike with shades of orange on the underside. On the upperside, male is dark brown, female is with shiny blue on both wings.

The adult skipper of the Great Orange Awlet is rarely seen, likely due to being active at dawn and dusk habit. The caterpillars are more likely to be found in leaf shelters on its host plant, a common creeping plant in forest. 

Adult Butterfly wingspan: 60 mm

Caterpillar Host plant: Combretum sundaicum (Combretaceae)

Host plant: Combretum sundaicum

Caterpillar of Great Orange Awlet in the leaf shelter on its host plant

Early Stages:

The 4th instar caterpillar (collected from the wild) has bright yellow body, 3 dorsal black stripes, with 2 white band in between. Each body segment has a large black marking. The head is orange-red in colour with black marking at the center, and several strips across the head capsule. This instar take about 6 days.

4th instar caterpillar

The 5th instar caterpillars has dark colour body with a pair of bright yellow subdorsal spots on each body segment.

Two view of a 5th instar caterpillar

The 6th instar caterpillar has black-purplish body, with 2 prominent yellow spots at each body segment. This stage last for 10 days, with length up to 62 mm.

6th instar caterpillar. Length: ~45 mm

6th instar caterpillar. Max length up to 62 mm

Left: 5th instar head marking. Right: 6th instar head marking

At pre-pupa stage, the body of the caterpillar become much shorter to about 30 - 35 mm in length. Pupation take about a day and take place within the leaf shelter.

Pre-pupa of Burara etelka. Length: 30-35 mm

Pre-pupa of Burara etelka

The pupa secures itself with 2 sets of silk girdle (arrow A & B) to the leaf shelter, and a 3rd one attach its cremaster to a short transverse band on the leaf surface. The pupa is pinkish white and with 3 dash-line across the dorsal area of the pupa. 

Pupa of Burara etelka

Pupa of Burara etelka

Pupa of Burara etelka

The pupa turns dark brown on the 9th day, the body segments and wing pads are visible. Eclosion takes place the next morning.

Two view of the mature pupa

A newly hatched Burara etelka skipper

A newly hatched Burara etelka skipper

References:

• The Butterflies of The Malay Peninsula, A.S. Corbet and H.M. Pendlebury, 4th Edition, Malayan Nature Society
• Butterflies of Thailand, Pisuth Ek-Amnuay

Partial Life History of Arhopala major

Partial Life History of Arhopala major


Butterfly Description:
Wingspan: 34 - 36 mm.
The male is violet-blue on upperside wings.

The species is common and has been encountered regularly in the nature reserved. Typically they perch with it wings closed, under the heavy shade, near to their host plant.

Host plant Description:
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Macaranga gigantea

The host plant Macaranga gigantea can grows up to 15m tall with with spreading crown. The twigs is solid & thus does not house ants. The leaves are shallowly tri-lobed

Host plant: Macaranga gigantea. Showing the typical small plant.

Host plant: Macaranga gigantea. A very young plant with broad young leaves.

Host plant: Macaranga gigantea. Plant that badly infested by the caterpillar of A. major. Up to 10 final instar larvae found on the tree. 


Early Stages:
The caterpillar of Arhopala major feed on the young leaves of M. gigantea, attended by a species of ants (yet to be identified). During resting, the caterpillars have the habit of resting on the underside of leaf, near to the main ribs at the leaf base.

5ht instart caterpillar, side view.

5ht instart caterpillar being attended by ant which are interested in the dorsal nectary organ.

Pre-pupation stage, the body length gradually shortened and turn into yellow color. The caterpillar choose the spaces between leaves stack to pupate in home breeding environment. The caterpillar spinned a silk pad to which it attached itself via cremastral hooks, a silk girdle is built and attached at the abdomen of the pre-pupate larva.

A pre-pupa of A. major.

Another view of pre-pupa of A. major.

The pupa has a typical shape of most lycaenid species with length of 12.5mm. Light brown with numerous dark brown patches. The wing pads are more darker in color  After 8 days, the pupae matures and it external skin becomes transparent revealing the the bluish forewing upperside. The adult emerges in the early morning the next day.

Different views of a pupa

Mature pupa

Mature pupa

A newly enclosed A. major.

Another side of the wings (slightly deformed at the forewing)



References:

• The Butterflies of The Malay Peninsula, A.S. Corbet and H.M. Pendlebury, 4th Edition, Malayan Nature Society.
• Butterflies of Thailand, Pisuth Ek-Amnuay

Early Stage of Ypthima baldus newboldi (Common Five Ring)

Early stage of Ypthima pandocus corticaria (Common Three Ring)