Life History of the White Royal

Life History of the White Royal (Pratapa deva relata)



Butterfly Biodata:
Genus : Pratapa Moore, 1881
Species : deva Moore, 1858
Subspecies : relata Distant, 1884
Wingspan of Adult Butterfly : 38mm
Caterpillar Host Plant : Scurrula ferruginea

Physical Description of Adult Butterfly:

The upperside is deep lustrous blue for the male and paler blue for the female, and both sexes have black borders on both wings with the one on the forewings being very broad at the apex. The underside for both sexes is greyish white with a post-discal series of narrow black streaks. The hindwing underside has a orange-crowned black tornal lobe and a black marginal spot in space 2 broadly crowned in orange. There are two pairs of white-tipped tails at the end of veins 1b and 2.

Field Observations of Butterfly Behaviour:

The adults are rarely observed in the field. In the few field sightings in Pulau Ubin and an urban bushland, the adults were mostly found near its host plant either as newly eclosed specimens or females on ovipositing visits. They fly with swift but short flights. Some adults have also been observed to be flying at tree-top level in sunny weather.

Early Stages:

Scurrula ferruginea, a wide-angle view (left), close-up on young leaves (right)

The adult female lays eggs on the underside of a mature leaf. Freshly laid eggs are white with a light green tinge but this disappears within hours. Each egg is about 0.7mm in diameter, and has a reticulated pattern of ridges and pits on its surface. After three days of development within the egg shell, the caterpillar emerges by eating the top portion of the egg shell, and exits through the resultant hole.

Freshly laid egg (top), mature egg (bottom)

The newly hatched caterpillar is about 1mm long, light brown in color and has rather long dorsolateral hairs. Both young and old leaves of the host plant are covered with a tawny tomentum, and the newly hatched caterpillar has to push aside these fine and vertillate hairs before skimming the lamina from one side of the leaf. The feeding is observed to take place on both young and old leaves. On mature leaves, the caterpillar has a preference for the underside where the light brown surface offers a better camouflage. Up to the third instar, the feeding caterpillar resembles a ploughing machine in action, with a winding furrow in its wake, and piles of fine hairs pushed to the sides and ahead of it.

A newly hatched caterpillar leaving the site of its first meal.

One-day old 1st instar caterpillar

As it grows, a number of small and short reddish brown markings appears on its body. After four days of feeding and growing to a length of about 2mm, the caterpillar comes to rest for a period of about one day for the moult to the 2nd instar. In the new instar, the caterpillar assumes a more woodlouse shape with shorter dorsolateral hairs in proportion to its body size. There is a diamond-shaped prothoracic shield on the first thoracic segment and the dorsal nectary organ on the 7th segment. The neatly arranged reddish brown markings on its body has become very prominent.

2nd instar caterpillar of White Royal

After another four days of feeding in the same ploughing manner, the caterpillar reaches a length of 4.5mm, and it goes on to stay dormant for about one day for the moult to 3rd instar. The 3rd instar caterpillar loses most of the reddish brown markings from its body which now has a a light green undertone. The tentacular organs on the 8th body segment are also observable as they are everted from time to time. Feeding is still done by skimming the leaf surface, but on rare occasions, some 3rd instar caterpillars were also observed to eat from the edge of the leaf.

3rd instar caterpillar of White Royal

Feeding activity in 3rd instar lasts four days, with body length reaches 8.5mm-9mm. Another day is spent for moulting to the 4th and final instar. The final instar caterpillar has become more stout with a raised dorsal ridge marked with a whitish undertone. It exclusively eats from the edge of the leaf. As it feeds, the caterpillar wraps its sub-spiracular part of its first few body segments around the leaf edge.

A newly moulted 4th instar caterpillar eating its excuviae

A 4th instar caterpillar eating at the leaf edge

The 4th instar caterpillar spends five days feeding, reaching a length of 12-13mm before entering the prep-pupal stage. The caterpillar moves to a branch of the host plant, and comes to rest in a head-up position. After about half a day in its position, the prep-pupa turns around to assume a head-down position. Pupation finally takes places after another half-day. Total number of days of larval growth inclusive of pre-pupuation is 21.

Pre-pupation stage in left and middle panels showing the reversal of head position. The resultant pupa is shown in the right panel.

The pupa is held firmly by the tail in a head down position. It has a white base color with bold dark band on its upper half and dark yellowish diffuse patches along the dorsal line. When disturbed, the pupa could jerk up and down at a fast pace.

Two views of a fresh pupa

After 7 days, the pupa case becomes transparent and features such as the forewing upperside, eyes and antennae of the adult are visible. The next day, eclosion takes place in the mid-morning from 7am to 10am. The emerged adult stays on the split pupal case to expand and dry its wings before moving on to begin another cycle of this species. From egg to eclosion, the cycle length recorded is about 32 days.

A mature pupa with the forewing upperside visible.

Part 1 of 2 of an eclosion sequence (left to right order).

Part 2 of 2 of an eclosion sequence (left to right order).

A newly emerged White Royal.

Another newly emerged White Royal.

Text and Photos by Horace Tan

Life History of the Baron

Life History of The Baron (Euthalia aconthea gurda)

A male Baron basks in the early morning sunshine

A female Baron foraging on damp ground on rotting fruit

Butterfly Biodata :
Genus : Euthalia Hubner, 1819
Species : aconthea Fruhstorfer, 1906
Subspecies : gurda Fruhstorfer, 1906
Wingspan of Adult Butterfly : 70mm

Caterpillar Host Plant : Mangifera indica

Physical Description of Adult Butterfly : The wings are dark brown above with a broad but obscure post-discal band on both wings. A few small white spots define the inner edge of this band. The spots are larger and most distinct in the female than the male. The underside is a paler brown than the upperside. The proboscis of this species is a bright yellow-green.

Field Observations of Butterfly Behaviour : The Baron is relatively common and is often seen in urban parks and gardens. The species is also observed in residential estates where its preferred host plant, the Mango, is cultivated. As the Mango tree is a favourite fruit tree found in many gardens, the Baron is often attracted to these urban areas. It is a flighty butterfly, and a strong flyer, alert and difficult to photograph. Both males and females can sometimes be found feeding on overripe fruits.

Host plant of the Baron - Mangifera indica

Early Stages : The eggs are laid singly, usually on the undersides of the broad leaves of the host plant. The appearance of the egg is very similar to its related species in the genera of Tanaecia and Lexias, being dome-like in shape, about 2mm in diameter, and covered with hexagonal segments from which whitish hair-like protuberances emerge.

"Spiky" green egg of the Baron

After about 3-4 days, the 1st instar caterpillar emerges, eating the eggshell as its first meal. The caterpillar is yellow in colour, and sports white-edged black spines from its body. It grows to about 4mm long, before moulting into its 2nd instar.

1st instar caterpillar of the Baron

The 2nd instar caterpillar has complex branched spines and is predominantly green, with a light yellow dorsal stripe, edged with purple-brown spots, corresponding with the base of the spines.

2nd instar caterpillar of the Baron with its branched spines

The 3rd instar caterpillar is similar in appearance to the 2nd instar, but the spines have grown much longer. It feeds on the younger leaves of its host plant, and reaches about 16mm before moulting again.

3rd instar caterpillar

The 4th instar caterpillar reaches a length of about 22mm and its branched spines make it appear to be much larger than it actually is. When resting on the mid-rib of its host plant, the branched spines give the caterpillar some measure of camouflage from predators.

4th instar caterpillar reaching a length of 22 mm

The 5th instar caterpillar is medium green, and the yellowish-white dorsal stripe loses the earlier purple-brown spots along the edge of the stripe. The branched spines appear almost like a bird's feather, with the secondary spines arranged neatly perpendicular to the main spine. It reaches a mature length of about 45mm before shortening and adopting its pre-pupation pose.

Final instar caterpillar with its prominent yellowish-white dorsal stripe

Pupation takes place on the underside of a leaf of the host plant, with the cremaster firmly attached to the mid-rib of the leaf. The light green pupa has a series of brownish spots arranged symmetrically. The pupa of the Baron appears very similar to the related species in the genus, and also the related Tanaecia and Lexias species.

Two views of the Baron's pupa

The adult butterfly ecloses in the early morning hours and stays for about an hour as it dries its wings, before taking off to feed, find a mate and continue the circle of life and propagation of the next generation.

Newly eclosed female Baron showing the undersides of its wings

Newly eclosed female Baron showing the uppersides of its wings

Text by Khew SK ; Photos by Goh LC and Khew SK

A new Riodinidae species for Singapore?

Is there a new Riodinidae species in Singapore?

Some time back in mid 2004, a small colony of what was first thought to be the Malayan Plum Judy (Abisara saturata kausambioides) was discovered at several locations at Singapore's urban hill parks known as the "Three Ridges".

A side shot of the mystery Abisara sp.

After taking many shots of the species, ButterflyCircle member Sunny Chir noticed that the behaviour of the individuals of this species to be rather unique. As the individuals spotted had a much stronger flight and engaged in "dog-fighting" activity - quite uncharacteristic of the behaviour of females of the Malayan Plum Judy, which these individuals resemble, Sunny continued to observe their behaviour over a period of several months, and highlighted the possibility of a different Abisara species to me.

The mystery Abisara with half-opened wings, perched on a leaf

That initial "gut-feeling" resulted in a long period of observing this species in their natural habitat - the times during which the species is most active, and their frolicking behaviour when two or three other individuals of the species were around in the same place. Thus far, no mating pairs were observed yet.

The mystery Abisara with half opened wings. In a side light, the upper wings show a purple-blue sheen.

Upon closer scrutiny of the photos taken, and by a process of elimination, we came to a tentative conclusion that this species may not be the Malayan Plum Judy (Abisara saturata kausambioides).

Taking reference from Corbet & Pendlebury's "Butterflies of the Malay Peninsula" 4th Edition, in the key for separation of the three extant Abisara species in Singapore we have :

Abisara savitri - Upperside paler, more reddish brown; forewing with inner band diffuse, sullied and from beyond mid-costa to the dorsum before the tornus. Hindwing with a long, white-tipped tail at vein 4.

Abisara geza - Underside of forewing inner postdiscal fascia bent basad above vein 4. Underside of hindwing discal band dislocated at vein 4. Male upperside with ovate paler subapical area on forewing and submarginal spots in spaces 1b, 4 and 5 of the hindwing.

Abisara saturata - Underside of hindwing discal band not dislocated, but may be angled at vein 4. Male upperside dark crimson brown and unmarked.



Male and Female Abisara saturata kausambioides

The first Abisara species - A. savitri can be eliminated due to its very distinct and different appearance from the other two species.

Hence, the unknown species :

• cannot be Abisara geza as the hindwing discal band is not dislocated at vein 4.
• cannot be a male Abisara saturata as the males of A. saturata are distinctly difference in appearance.
• is not a female A. saturata as all the shots taken of this species so far, show clearly that it uses only 4 legs for walking, and this is consistent with the genus that the adult forelegs are non-functional in the male, but functional in the female.
• is not likely to be female A. saturata due to the observation of the individuals' more robust and speedier flight, as well as "dog-fighting" behaviour - usually typical of males of this genus.

More views of the unknown Abisara sp


So the conclusion up to this point would be that this is a :

• male specimen of an unknown Abisara sp.
• is not an Abisara geza as it does not have the dislocated discal band at vein 4 of the hindwing
• is not a male Abisara saturata as that species' male is distinctly marked.

So what species is this?

Voucher specimens captured of this species suggest that, from the visual inspection of the end of the abdomen of the specimens, that these individuals are males. These specimens have been sent to expert lepidopterists in Japan and Malaysia for a full-fledged dissection to ascertain the identity of this species. We are waiting patiently for the conclusion of these experts. A journal paper has been prepared to this effect, for the purpose of recording this strange and unknown Abisara as well as other discoveries by ButterflyCircle members.

A possible ID of this species flying around the hilltops of Singapore's urban parks could be Abisara kausambi kausambi. The characteristic of "Underside of forewing inner postdiscal fascia straight" and "Male upperside forewing with narrow, obscure, paler subapical area" seems to suggest that this mystery Riodinid matches the description of Abisara kausambi kausambi. However, as this species has not been recorded in Singapore by the early authors, the ID of this species remains a mystery for the time being.

Could our mystery Riodinid be Abisara kausambi? Could it be an endemic sub-species which is hitherto unrecorded in Singapore? Or perhaps a totally new Abisara species which is not even recorded in the region?

Whilst the status of this species remains uncertain in Singapore, and we wait in anticipation for the experts' advice, we would like to place on record this observation which was first made by Sunny Chir.

Who am I???

Text by Khew SK ; Photos by Khew SK, Sunny Chir, Tan CP

Life History of the Suffused Flash

Life History of the Suffused Flash (Rapala suffusa barthema)



Butterfly Biodata :
Genus : Rapala Moore, 1881
Species : suffusa Moore, 1879
Subspecies : barthema Distant, 1885
Wingspan of Adult Butterfly : 35mm
Caterpillar Host Plants : Talipariti tiliaceum (Sea Hibiscus), Falcataria moluccana (Albizia)

Physical Description of Adult Butterfly :
Above, the female is entirely dull brown whereas the male is brownish red with forewing border diffuse and shot with purple in a side light. The underside of the male is ochreous to pale buff brown, and the underside of the female is distinctively yellow. The markings on the undersides are typical that of Rapala spp, with cell-end bars on both wings, and brown postdiscal lines edged with white on the sides nearer to the termen. The hindwing carries a white-tipped tail with a tornal lobe between veins 1a and 1b.

Field Observations of Butterfly Behaviour :This species is common in coastal areas such as Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve where the host plant Talipariti tiliaceum (Sea Hibiscus) is common. In sunny weather, the adults can be seen flying around the host plants and taking nectar from flowering plants in the vicinity. Typical of Rapala spp., the adults are strong and rapid flyers, darting around from one perch to another at high speeds.

Female Suffused Flash with abdomen curved to oviposit on the leaf underside

Early Stages :

In one field observation, a female adult was found to oviposit on the leaf underside and a seed pod of Asystasia intrusa. A single egg was laid each time. However, A. intrusa is not the host plant for Suffused Flash. At that location, A. intrusa grows in abundance in the shade of the actual host plant Talipariti tiliaceum.

Each egg is green in colour, small (about 0.5mm in diameter) and circular with a slightly depressed micropylar. The newly hatched caterpillars have to find their way to the host plant nearby. In a home-breeding environment, the caterpillars have no problem accepting leaves of Falcataria moluccana as alternative food source.

Two views of the same egg

After 3 days, the caterpillar hatches from the mature egg. The tiny young larva only eats parts of egg shell as it makes its exit.

Mature egg (above) and empty egg shell (below)

The newly hatched caterpillar is about 1mm in length. The 1st instar caterpillar is yellowish in base colour and has a faint dorsal line. Light brown patches are visible on the 1st, 6th to 8th abdominal segments. Rows of fine-line setae are found along the side of body. It grows to about 2mm before the moult to 2nd instar . Number of days in 1st instar : 3.

1st instar caterpillar

The 2nd instar caterpillar has dark brown patches in the thoracic segments, as well as in the1st, 6th-8th abdominal segments. There are also two brown spots on the anal plate. From above, the 7th to 10th segments appear to have fused together to form a saucer-like structure. The body length reaches about 4mm before the moult to 3rd instar. Number of days in 2nd instar : 3.

2nd Instar caterpillar

The hair-like setae in the first 2 instars give way to paddle-like setae in the 3rd instar. These paddle-like setae are mostly black, remaining ones being light brown or colourless. Brown sub-dorsal and sub-spiracular bands are also visible along the side of the body. The saucer-like structure at the tail segments is now more prominent. The caterpillar grows to about 8mm before the next moult. Number of days in 3rd instar : 3.

3rd Instar caterpillar

The 4th instar caterpillar carries similar markings as in 3rd instar but the sub-dorsal band has become dark brown and more striking. The caterpillar reaches a length of about 15mm before it moults again. Number of days in 4th instar : 4.

4th Instar caterpillar

The 5th and final instar caterpillar is much bigger with increases in both body length and width. It has similar markings as in the previous two instars. It reaches about a maximum length of 20mm before turning reddish brown and its body shrunk in preparation for the next stage. Number of days in 5th instar : 6.

5th Instar caterpillar

About 19 days of larval growth, the caterpillar ceases its feeding activity and its body colour becomes reddish brown. At the same time its body length has shrunk to about 12-13mm. The caterpillar then goes into the pre-pupation stage for one day.

Two views of a preparatory pupa

The pupa has a shape typical of most lycaenid species with a length of 11-12mm. It is bright brown with numerous small black spots/patches. The wing pads are more yellowish in ground colour. After 8 days, the pupal matures and its shell becomes transparent revealing markings on the forewing upperside. Finally, the adult butterfly emerges in early afternoon on the next day.

Two views of a pupa


Mature pupa of a male

A newly eclosed male still drying its wings


A newly eclosed male Suffused Flash ready to take flight

A noteworthy point is that the appearance of early stages of R. suffusa is very different from those of other Rapala species such as R. pheretima, R. manea, R.nissa and R. dioetas recorded thus far in the literature. Two distinguishing features are the paddle-like setae and the saucer-like structure which appear in R. suffusa but not in other above-mentioned Rapala species. Instead of paddle-like setae, these other Rapala species have short fleshy tubercles running along the sub-dorsal and sub-spiracular lines.

A close-up on the tail-end of 5th instar caterpillar of R. suffusa


A 3rd instar caterpillar of R. suffusa being attended by ants on the Sea Hibiscus leaf


Host plant: Sea Hibiscus (Hibiscus tiliaceus)

Text & Photos by Horace Tan

References :

• The Butterflies of The Malay Peninsula, A.S. Corbet and H.M. Pendlebury, 4th Edition, Malayan Nature Society.
• The Butterflies of Hong Kong, M. Bascombe, G. Johnston, F. Bascombe, Princeton University Press, 1999