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)
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| Host plant: Combretum sundaicum |
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| 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.
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| 4th instar caterpillar |
The 5th instar caterpillars has dark colour body with a pair of bright yellow subdorsal spots on each body segment.
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Two view of a 5th instar caterpillar
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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.
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| 6th instar caterpillar. Length: ~45 mm |
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| 6th instar caterpillar. Max length up to 62 mm |
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| 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.
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| Pre-pupa of Burara etelka. Length: 30-35 mm |
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| 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 |
The pupa turns dark brown on the 9th day, the body segments and wing pads are visible. Eclosion takes place the next morning.
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| Two view of the mature pupa |
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| A newly hatched Burara etelka skipper |
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| A newly hatched Burara etelka skipper |
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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
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