Hypolimnas bolina

Hypolimnas bolina(Hypolimnas bolina)

Phylum —arthropoda
Class —insecta
Order — lepidoptera
Family —nymphalidae

Genus –hypolimnas

Appearance

Hypolimnas bolinaprovides an example of sexual dimorphism, meaning that the males and females look different. The dorsal wing surface of males is black with three pairs (two on the forewings, one on the hindwings) of white spots surrounded by iridescent blue/purple. The color can appear to change because of the way the scales on the wing are angled to reflect light. The ventral wing surface is black edged with white spots, with a diagonal white band running across both wings.

The dorsal wing surface of females is paler and edged with white spots and on each forewing is a blue patch. The underside is similar to the male, but brown. In nature, female coloration varies widely. The wingspan is 8 cm and 9 cm for males and females, respectively.

Habitat

The Hypolimnas bolinais native to Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and Australia. It is a relatively common butterfly and can be found in deciduous forests and lightly wooded countryside.

Behavior

These insects are aggressive to the representatives of their family, in the daytime they often make other butterflies fly away.

Diet

The caterpillars feed on many plants, such as purslane, ipomoea, nettle.

Butterflies feed on flowers with their nectar, and also gather on rotten fruits.

Life cycle

Hypolimnas bolinais known for maternal care, with the females guarding leaves where eggs have been laid. Males are also very territorial and site fidelity increases with age. The female hovers over a plant to check for ants which will eat her eggs. After selecting a plant, which has no ants on it, she lays at least one but often two to five eggs on the undersides of the leaves.The eggs are a pale, glassy green with longitudinal ridges except on the top.

After about four days the eggs hatch. The caterpillars immediately disperse. They are black with an orange head. The last segment is also orange. The head bears a pair of long branched black horns. The body surface is also covered with long, branched, orangish black spines. These spines look whitish and transparent immediately after moulting, but soon become the usual orange. In later instars the spiracles are surrounded by thin, dirty orange rings.

The pupa is suspended by just one point. It is brown with a grey tinge on the wings. The abdominal segments have distinct tubercles. The surface of the pupa is rough. The butterfly emerges after seven to eight days as pupae (female development is always a bit longer).

Imago live for about 2 weeks.

In captivity

The mesh terrarium with a size of 50 × 50 × 70 mm is suitable for keeping butterflies. Room temperature is necessary. Daylight time is 12 hours. You can feed butterflies an overripe banana or give them a few drops of honey syrup diluted with boiled water in a ratio of 1: 10.

 

Вы будете перенаправлены через
  секунд на сайт