Hypolimnas bolina DATASHEET

 

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Hypolimnas bolina
Photo taken at Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand  ♂  1150m a.s.l.

Hypolimnas bolina is widely distributed across the whole of the region and is very common. The species is dimorphic and the sexes look quite different, especially the upperwings. The female also has a few different forms. It is found in a wide range of habitats and the larvae are polyphagous, developing on a range of different host plants. It is a strong and fast flier. The males are very territorial, chasing away any intruders that encroach on their domain.

Unusually mud puddling is carried out regularly by females as well as males. This species flies all year round and is multivoltine with several broods per annum. The female is known to watch over the leaves where her eggs have been laid, presumably to protect them.

Synonyms and previously used names:   Papilio bolina, Papilio avia, Papilio liria, Hypolimnas parva, Hypolimnas charybdis, Hypolimnas incommoda, Hypolimnas curiosa, Nymphalis jacintha

 

Taxonomy:  Animalia - Arthropoda - Insecta - Lepidoptera - Nymphalidae - Nymphalinae - Hypolimnas - bolina

Regional subspecies:   H.b.bolina (Singapore, Indonesia), H.b.celebensis (Indonesia), H.b.kezia (China, Taiwan), H.b.jacintha (India, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, W.Malaysia, Singapore), H.b.lisianassa (Indonesia), H.b.philippensis (Philippines). There is a very large number of other subspecies listed but there doesn't seem to be a concensus on what is legitimate and what is not. The whole taxonomy for this species is very confusing.

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


Hypolimnas bolina

Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand  ♀  450m a.s.l.

 

Habitat:  Hypolimnas bolina is found in a wide variety of habitats including evergreen and deciduous forest, scrubland, grassland, urban parks, and city gardens. Almost anywhere, up to 1600m a.s.l.                   

Flight time:  all year depending on location                                                        Wingspan:  50-85mm

Life History:         egg   4 days        instar 1   2 days        instar 2    2 days         instar 3    2-3 days     instar 4    3-4 days       instar 5   3-4 days    instar 6    6-7 days    pupa   6-7 days     Total egg to adult   28-33 days.    All times approximate.

Larval Hosts:  Ageratum conyzoides, Eclipta prostrata, Synedrella nodiflora (Asteraceae), Elatostema cuneatum, Laportea aestuans, Laportea interrupta, Pipturus argenteus, Urtica dioica (Urticaceae), Achyranthes aspera, Alternanthera philoxeroides, Alternanthera sessilis (Amaranthaceae), Asystasia gangetica, Barleria prionitis, Leptosiphonium aruense, Pseuderanthemum bicolor, Pseudantherum variabile, Ruellia aruensis, (Acanthaceae), Commelina diffusa (Commelinaceae), Ficus microcarpa, Ficus retusa, Ficus pumila (Moraceae), Ipomoea aquatica, Ipomoea batatas, Ipomoea littoralis, Ipomoea nil, Ipomoea indica, Ipomoea pes-caprae, Ipomoea triloba, Merremia hederacea (Convolvulaceae), Abutilon indicum, Hibiscus spp., Malvastrum coromandelianum, Sida acuta, Sida cordata, Sida javensis, Sida rhombifolia, Triumfetta pentandra, Triumfetta rhomboidea, Urena lobata (Malvaceae), Perilla frutescens (Lamiaceae), Polygonum plebeium (Polygonaceae), Portulaca oleracea (Portulacaceae), Richardia brasiliensis (Rubiaceae), Erythrina variegata, Vigna umbellata (Fabaceae), Solanum torvum (Solanaceae)Hosts used depends upon location and availability of plant species.

Adult Food Sources:  Nectar - Ziziphus mauritiana (Rhamnaceae), Celosia argentea (Amaranthaceae), Duranta erecta, Lantana camara, Stachytarpheta indica, Stachytarpheta jamaicensis, Verbena rigida (Verbenaceae), Bauhinia purpurea, Cheniella glauca, Cytisus scoparius, Phanera championii (Fabaceae), Ageratina adenophora, Austroeupatorium inulifolium, Bidens pilosa, Chromoleana odorata, Clibadium surinamensis, Cosmos sulphureus, Crassocephalum cerpidioides, Cyanthillium conyzoides, Gynura nitida, Parthenium hysterophorus, Mikania micrantha, Sphagneticola trilobata, Taraxacum javanicum, Tridax procumbens, Xerochrysum bracteatum, Youngia japonica, Zinnia elegans (Asteraceae), Ehretia aspera, Heliotropium arboreum (Boraginaceae), Coleus barbatus, Leucas lamiifolia, Premna serratifolia, Rotheca serrata, Vitex negundo (Lamiaceae), Ixora coccinea (Rubiaceae), Cestrum aurantiacum, Solanum mauritianum (Solanaceae), Hypericum japonicum, Hypericum mysurense (Hypericaceae), Asystasia gangetica, Rostellularia procumbens (Acanthaceae), Sida acuta, Sida rhombifolia (Malvaceae), Oxalis latifolia (Oxalidaceae), Verbascum thapsus (Scrophulariaceae), Heynea trijuga, Mappia nimmoniana (Icacinaceae), Rhodomyrtus tomentosa, Syzygium aqueum, Syzygium cumini (Myrtaceae), Oenothera rosea (Onagraceae), Prinsepia utilis, Rubus ellipticus (Rosaceae), Rhamnus wightii (Rhamnaceae), Euphorbia milii, Euphorbia rothiana (Euphorbiaceae), Antigonon leptopus (Polygonaceae), Santalum album (Santalaceae), Persea americana (Lauraceae), Murraya paniculata, Zanthoxylum avicennae (Rutaceae), Terminalia pallida (Combretaceae).  Other - mud puddling, over-ripe fruit, animal dung, carrion

Hypolimnas bolina
Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand  ♂

Hypolimnas bolina
Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand  ♂

Hypolimnas bolina
Lamnamkok National Park, Chiang Rai, Thailand  ♀

Hypolimnas bolina
Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand  ♀

Hypolimnas bolina
Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand  ♀

Hypolimnas bolina pupa
pupa

Chromolaena odorata
Chromolaena odorata, a nectar source

Hypolimnas bolina
Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand  ♂

Asystasia  gangetica
Asystasia  gangetica, a larval host and a nectar source

Urtica dioica
Urtica dioica, a larval host

Sida acuta
Sida acuta, another larval 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 8th December 2023