Double-branded Black Crow

August 23, 2023

Euploea sylvester coreta (Godart, 1819)

SPECIES DETAILS

Malayalam Name: പാൽവള്ളി ശലഭം. Paalvally Salabham
Tamil Name:
Sub Family: Danainae
Family: Nymphalidae
Super Family: Papilionoidea
Order: Lepidoptera

DISTRIBUTION:

The species found in India,Sri Lanka, Myanmar. The Sub species Euploea sylvester coreta 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.

TYPICAL IDENTIFICATION FEATURES

Chocolate brown brush-footed butterfly with white spots on wings and with wingspan 80-90mm. In shape, colour, and markings, it very closely resembles the Common Crow (Euploea core core). Males, however, can be distinguished at once by the presence of two brands instead of a single one on the forewing in Common Crow.

The females can be separated from the females of E. core by outline of the forewing being more entire ( in core it is slightly but perceptibly scalloped) and by the underside of the forewing having a complete series of six spots, one between each pair of nervules outside the cell (in E. core, two of these spots, those above the discoidal nervules (veins 5 and 6), are always wanting). Third, the two brands on the interno-median area (interspace 1) of the forewing in the male are faintly but quite perceptibly to be traced in the female in the same position.

HOST PLANTS:

Shrubs and trees of Apocyanacea, Moracea and Asclepidiaces family having poisonous milky latex.

Calotropis gigantea ( Erukku), Neerium indicum, Neerium oliander(Arali), Thevetia peruviana (Manja Arali), Ficus bengalensis (Peraal), Ficus religiosa (Arayaal) etc.

LIFE CYCLE:

1. Egg:

The eggs are laid singly on the upper surfaces of the leaves on rutaceous plants at ten feet or so above the ground. The newly laid egg is spherical and light green but darkens over time to orange yellow. The egg hatches in 2-3 days.

2. Catterpillers.

The newborn caterpillar makes the eggshell its first meal. Total larval period is 21-25 days.

First instar larvae: instar period 3 days and grows upto 5-6 mm in length.

Second Instar Larvae: instar period 3 days and grows upto 17-19 mm in length.Body is bright greenish yellow with distinct white markings on anterior, middle and posterior segments.

markings on the anterior, middle and posterior body segments

Third Instar Larvae: Look like 2nd instar except the size and grows upto 24-26 mm in length.

Fourth Instar Larvae: Colour changes to bright yellow and grows upto 32-35 mm in length.

Fifth Instar Larvae:

Larvae rows upto 43-45 mm in length. Bright green colour with eye spot on thorasic region and transverse pale blue bands in abdominal segments. Pale red osemeterium also present just behind the head which erect on disturbation.