<> Eurema hecabe (Linnaeus, 1758) <>

the Common Grass Yellow ผีเสื้อเณรธรรมดา

Click on any photo to see all photos full size in Lightbox

Additions and corrections to the information provided on this page is always welcome. Please use the Contact form.

Photo taken at Ob Khan N.P., Chiang Mai, Thailand 360m a.s.l.

Eurema hecabe is widespread throughout Africa, southern Asia, and Australia, including most of the SE Asia region. There is visually little difference between the sexes but the species is highly variable, with seasonal and individual variations. It is therefore difficult to identify in the field. It has a fast fluttering flight and is very active.

The species is multivoltine and there are a number of broods per annum. The female lays her eggs singly on a leaf of the host plant, up to 10 at a time. After hatching the larva eats the eggshell as its first meal and then feeds on the leaf lamina.

Synonyms and previously used names: Papilio hecabe, Papilio luzonicus, Papilio rahel, Papilio chrysopterus, Eurema latimargo, Terias hecabe, multitude of other names under genus Terias

Taxonomy: Arthropoda - Insecta - Lepidoptera - Pieridae - Coliadinae - Eurema - hecabe

Regional subspecies: Eurema hecabe hecabe (Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, S.China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan). Some sources list other subspecies in various locations but it is uncertain if any of these are valid.

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

Habitat: Eurema hecabe is usually found in evergreen and deciduous forest, grassland, scrub, agricultural land, urban areas, and hillsides at low to moderate elevations. However, it has been recorded at elevations up to 3500m a.s.l. in Nepal.

Flight time: all year depending on location Wingspan: 35-45mm

Life History: egg 2-4 days instar1 2-3 days instar2 2-3 days instar3 2-3 days instar4 2-3 days instar5 3-4 days pupa 4-7 days Total egg to adult 18-27 days
All times are approximate and can vary depending on the season and on the host used.

Larval Hosts: Abrus precatorius, Acacia baileyana, Acacia falcata, Acacia mangium, Acacia mearnsii, Acacia spectabilis, Acaciella glauca, Aeschynomene americana, Aeschynomene aspera, Aeschynomene hirsuta, Aeschynomene indica, Albizia chinensis, Albizia corniculata, Albizia julibrissin, Albizia lebbeck, Albizia lebbekoides, Albizia odoratissima, Albizia procera, Albizia saman, Arachis hypogaea, Biancaea decapetala, Biancaea sappan, Caesalpinia pulcherrima, Calliandra haematocephala, Calliandra calothyrsus, Cassia bakeriana, Cassia fistula, Cassia roxburghii, Chamaecrista absus, Chamaecrista kleinii, Chamaecrista mimosoides, Delonix regia, Dichrostachys cinerea, Falcataria falcata, Gleditsia fera, Guilandina bonduc, Guilandina major, Hultholia mimosoides, Kummerowia striata, Lespedeza cuneata, Lespedeza juncea, Lespedeza thunbergii, Leucaena leucocephala, Mezoneuron hymenocarpum, Mimosa diplotricha, Mimosa pudica, Moullava spicata, Ormocarpum cochinchinense, Ormosia sumatrana, Pterocarpus indicus, Peltophorum pterocarpum, Pithecellobium dulce, Senegalia gageana, Senegalia pennata, Senegalia rugata, Senna alata, Senna obtusifolia, Senna siamea, Senna surattensis, Senna tora, Sesbania bispinosa, Sesbania cannabina, Sesbania grandiflora, Sesbania javanica, Sesbania sesban, Smithia conferta, Smithia sensitiva, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Vachellia farnesiana, Vachellia leucophloea, Vachellia nilotica (Fabaceae), Cratoxylum cochinchinense, Cratoxylum formosum (Hypericaceae), Alstonia scholaris (Apocynaceae), Breynia officinalis, Bridelia ovata, Bridelia tomentosa, Phyllanthus cernuus, Phyllanthus emblica, Phyllanthus lucens, Phyllanthus reticulatus, Phyllanthus vitis-idaea (Phyllanthaceae), Camellia sinensis (Theaceae), Berchemia lineata, Rhamnus formosana, Rhamnus parvifolia, Sageretia thea (Rhamnaceae), Cocos nucifera (Arecaceae), Osmunda japonica (Osmundaceae), Santalum album (Santalaceae), Solidago canadensis (Asteraceae), Tectona grandis (Lamiaceae), Capparis grandis (Capparaceae), Syzygium cumini (Myrtaceae), Moringa oleifera (Moringaceae), Abelmoschus moschatus (Malvaceae).
Actual host plant used depends upon location and availabilty of plant species.

Adult Food Sources: Nectar - Ixora coccinea, Oldenlandia corymbosa, Spermacoce hispida (Rubiaceae), Duranta erecta, Duranta repens, Lantana camara, Stachytarpheta cayennesis, Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (Verbenaceae), Acmella calva, Acmella paniculata, Ageratina adenophora, Ageratum conyzoides, Bidens pilosa, Chromolaena odorata, Cosmos bipinnatus, Elephantopus scaber, Galinsoga parviflora, Mikania micrantha, Synedrella nodiflora, Tridax procumbens, Xerochrysum bracteatum (Asteraceae), Ziziphus mauritiana, Ziziphus oenoplia (Rhamnaceae), Celosia argenta (Amaranthaceae), Bauhinia purpurea, Cassia fistula, Cytisus scoparius, Mimosa pudica, Tephrosia purpurea, Trifolium repens (Fabaceae), Tribulus terrestris (Zygophyllaceae), Leea indica, Leea rubra, Tetrastigma leucostaphylum (Vitaceae), Oplismenus undulatifolius (Poaceae), Oxalis latifolia (Oxalidaceae), Sida acuta, Sida cordifolia, Sida rhombifolia (Malvaceae), Clerodendrum infortunatum, Coleus barbatus, Platostoma axillaris, Vitex negundo (Lamiaceae), Asystasia gangetica, Rostellularia procumbens (Acanthaceae), Solanum nigrum (Solanaceae), Ophiopogon intermedius (Asparagaceae), Verbascum thapsus (Scrophulariaceae), Brassica rapa (Brassicaceae), Carissa carandas (Apocynaceae), Antigonon leptopus (Polygonaceae), Pedalium murex (Pedaliaceae), Ludwigia perennis (Onagraceae), Fragaria nubicola (Rosaceae), Coelogyne corymbosa, Dendrobium primulinum (Orchidaceae), Rhododendron falconeri (Ericaceae). Other - mud puddling, animal dung, ripe fruit of Rhododendron (Melastoma)