Euploea mulciber DATASHEET

 

<> Euploea mulciber  (Cramer, 1777) <>

the Striped Blue Crow    ผีเสื้อจรกาเมียลาย

 
 

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Euploea mulciber
Photo taken at Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand ♀  450m a.s.l.

Euploea mulciber is a common species that is found throughout the region, helped by the fact that it is polyphagous with many host plant species, especially a wide variety of fig trees. It is sexually dimorphic and the sexes, although similar in colour, look quite different with the common name deriving from the appearance of the female. It is a large butterfly with a slow deliberate flight.

Unusually, the female of this species is seen almost as often as the male. Both sexes are regular mud puddlers and both visit flowers for nectar. Euploea mulciber is basically a forest dweller but often ventures into urban areas. It is multivoltine and with a relatively short life cycle produces many broods per annum.

Synonyms and previously used names:    Papilio mulciber, Amaura diocletia, Danais claudia, Trepsichrois linnaei, Papilio claudius, Euploea megilla, Trepsichrois mulcibra

 

Taxonomy:   Animalia - Arthropoda - Insecta - Lepidoptera - Nymphalidae - Danainae - Euploea - mulciber

Regional subspecies:   E.m.barsine (Taiwan), E.m.basilissa (Indonesia), E.m.dufresne (Philippines), E.m.mulciber (India, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, W.Malaysia, Singapore), E.m.portia (E.Malaysia, Indonesia), E.m.semperi (Philippines), E.m.vandeventeri (Indonesia), E.m.visaya (Philippines). There are a number of other subspecies recorded amongst the islands of Indonesia and the Philippines.

Regional Distribution:  India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines


Papilio helenus

Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand  ♂  420m a.s.l.

 

Habitat:  Euploea mulciber is found in a wide range of habitats including primary and secondary forest, mangroves, wastelands, urban parks, and city gardens. In Nepal they have been recorded at elevations up to 3500m a.s.l.

Flight time:  all year depending on location                                                        Wingspan:  80-90mm

Life History:       egg    3-4 days       instar 1    2-3 days      instar 2    1-2 days      instar 3    1-2 days    instar 4    1-2 days  instar 5   3-4 days     pupa   7-8 days     Total egg to adult   20-27 days.    All times are approximate.

Larval Hosts:  Calotropis gigantea, Cryptolepis sinensis, Gymnanthera oblonga, Gymnema sylvestre, Ichnocarpus frutescens, Marsdenia tinctoria, Nerium oleander, Oxystelma esculentum, Parsonsia alboflavescens, Pottsia laxiflora, Toxocarpus villosus, Toxocarpus wightianus, Trachelospermum jasminoides, Urceola rosea (Apocynaceae), Heliotropium indicum (Boraginaceae), Ficus altissima, Ficus ampelos, Ficus benjamina, Ficus chartacea, Ficus drupacea, Ficus fistulosa, Ficus globosa, Ficus grossularioides, Ficus heteropleura, Ficus lamponga, Ficus microcarpa, Ficus nervosa, Ficus pumila, Ficus punctata, Ficus racemosa, Ficus retusa, Ficus erecta, Ficus formosana, Ficus sarmentosa, Ficus semicordata, Ficus vasculosa, Ficus virgata (Moraceae).   Actual host plant used depends upon location and availabilty of plant species.

Adult Food Sources:  Nectar - Duranta erecta, Lantana camara (Verbenaceae), Heliotropium indicum (Boraginaceae), Premna serratifolia (Lamiaceae), Adenostemma lavenia, Ageratum conyzoides, Austroeupatorium inulifolium, Bidens alba, Bidens pilosa, Chromolaena odorata, Clibadium surinamense, Cosmos caudatus (Asteraceae), Syzygium sp. (Myrtaceae), Bougainvillea sp. (Nyctaginaceae), Ixora coccinea (Rubiaceae), Melastoma malabathricum (Melastomataceae), Crotalaria pallida (Fabaceae), Alnus nepalensis (Betulaceae), Cyananthus incanus (Campanulaceae), Rhododendron falconeri (Ericaceae), Swertia chirayita (Gentianaceae), Magnolia campbellii (Magnoliaceae), Coelogyne corymbosa (Orchidaceae), Wendlandia coriacea (Rubiaceae), Hedychium ellipticum (Zingiberaceae).  Other - mud puddling, over-ripe fruit, carrion, animal dung & urine.

Euploea mulciber
Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand  ♂

Euploea mulciber
Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand  ♂

Euploea mulciber
Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand  ♀

Coelogyne corymbosa
Coelogyne corymbosa, a nectar source

Euploea mulciber
Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand  ♀

Euploea mulciber
Chiang Dao Nature Sanctuary, Chiang Mai, Thailand  ♂

Euploea mulciber
Lamnamkok National Park, Chiang Rai, Thailand  ♂

Magnolia campbellii
Magnolia campbellii, another nectar source

Euploea mulciber
Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand  ♂

Euploea mulciber
Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand  ♂

Toxocarpus wightianus
Toxocarpus wightianus, a larva host

Ficus erecta
Ficus erecta, another larva host


Butterflies of Thailand and SE Asia  -  BugsAlive Species Information Sheet
© All images are the copyright of Tim Stratford

 

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               This page updated 20th March 2023