Indian Red Pierrot

Talicada nyseus nyseus (Guérin-Méneville, 1843)ചെങ്കോമാളി

Malayalam Name 

:

ചെങ്കോമാളി

Family 

:

Lycaenidae

Sub-family             

:

Polyommatinae

Tribe                     

: 

Leptociaini

Order

:

Lepidoptera


DISTRIBUTION
               Indian subcontinent and South-East Asia
STATUS:   Common
HABITAT
They are found in semi-arid plains, degraded patches of evergreen patches, and semi-evergreen forest, gardens, hill stations and forests—in fact, wherever its food plant, Kalanchoe, is abundant.
HABIT
The red Pierrot is a weak flier, and flutters about close to the ground. It flies in short bursts and settles often but not for very long. It basks with its wings half open, but prefers shade to sun, and jungle or undergrowth to open areas.
IDENTIFICATION  FEATURES
Small size beautiful orange,blck and white butterfly with wingspan 30-35 mm.

The upperside of its wings are black except for a large orange round portion in the hindwing and white square shaped marginal series of spots.

On the underside, the forewing is white with black spots more toward the margin. The hindwing is very striking, it is white with black spots toward the base and the margin has a wide band of orange with white spots. There is a lot of variation found in the blacks spots on the hindwings

SIMILAR SPECIES 

LARVAL HOST PLANTS
The larval host plants are Kalanchoe laciniata and K. pinnata of the family Crassulaceae. Adult butterflies have sometimes been seen to visit lichens. 

LIFE CYCLE






MORE IMAGES







Red Pierrot

Red Pierrot




Red Pierrot

 Courtesy 
Write up:Wikipaedia
Images: TNHS

കേരള വനം വന്യജീവി വകുപ്പ്  
മാങ്കുളം ഡിവിഷൻ
 

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