Brown King Crow

Euploea klugii kollari Felder & Felder, [1865]


SPECIES DETAILS
Malayalam Name:    ആൽ ശലഭം 
Tamil Name:
Sub Family:   Danainae
Family:    Nymphalidae( Brush footed butterflies)
Super family: Papilionoidae (Butterflies)
Order:    Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)

DISTRIBUTION:  
A common species found in Indo-Malayan region. The Sub species Euploea klugii kollari( Brown King Crow) is found in  Western Ghats and in South India.

STATUS: 
   Common.

HABITAT: 
    Common in all habitats 

HABIT:
    It is a non-palatable butterfly due sequestration of poisonous alkaloids in theire body which is obtained from the food plants. The flight is slow, smooth and sailing. Spend more time in same bunch of flowers. Congregate on Crotolaria obtusa and Heliotropium indicum for replenishing pheromones to attract females. 

MIMICS:
   The Brown King Crow, Double Branded Black Crow and females of Greate Egg Fly and Clythia form of Common Mime mimics the Common Crow butterflies.

TYPICAL IDENTIFICATION FEATURES
    upperside: very dark olive brown, paling to lighter brown towards the termen; both wings with a complete or nearly complete series of subterminal and terminal white spots, the former larger than the latter, in the forewing decreasing in size towards, and curving inwards opposite. The apex; in the hindwing, elongate oval, much larger than the terminal spots, these latter very regular, two in each interspace in the forewing, obsolete towards the apex. 


The underside is pale olive brown, with the spots as on the upperside, with the addition in the forewing of two to four discal spots, the largest two in the interspace, and a small costal spot; in the hindwing of one or two discal specks.Unlike Common Crow, no white spot in the cell of both forewing and hindwing.




HOST PLANTS:
     Ficus hispida (Eruma naakku), Strebulus asper are common host plants.

LIFE CYCLE:
    Total life period is 30 days. upto 10 generation annually.

1.  Egg: 
    The dome shaped light yellowish eggs are laid singly on the upper surfaces of tender leaves. The newly laid egg is spherical and light green but darkens over time to orange yellow. The egg hatches in 4-5 days.



2. Catterpillers.

First instar larvae:Black head and yellowish green body. instar period 2-3 daysin summer and 6-8 days in winter and grows upto 4-5 mm in length.
 


Second Instar Larvae: Colour become olive green and with 4 fleshy tentacles. instar period 2-3 days and in winter the period will prolong. It grows double the size upto 17-19 mm in length.




Third Instar Larvae:  Become brown and with white crossbars on dorsal side.Yellowish path with four black spots on lateral side. It grows upto 21-23 mm in length.



Fourth Instar Larvae: Colour changes to dark brown with white cross bar, yellow patch become brighter. and grows upto 25-28mm in length. 




Fifth Instar Larvae: 
  Colour changes to grey,  Larvae grows upto 43-45 mm in length. 






3. Pupation: 

    Pupa measure about 36-38 mm, greenish in colour which turns to brown. Total pupation period is 13-14 days in summer and 24-25 days in winter.




-Image- of pre-pupae, pupa, emmergence

4. MORE IMAGES












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