<> Eulaceura osteria Butler, 1872 <>

the Elegant Emperor or Purple Duke จักรพรรดิสดสวย

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Photo taken at Than Bok Khorani National Park, Krabi, Thailand. 60m a.s.l.

Rapid flier that usually settles on the underside of leaves with its wings closed. In the early morning however they can often be seen on the upperside of leaves basking in the sun. Confined mostly to the more southerly parts of Thailand but is found further north in Vietnam and China. Sexually dimorphic and the sexes look quite different to each other. Multivoltine with several broods per annum.

Synonyms and previously used names: Apatura panchaea

Taxonomy: Animalia - Arthropoda - Insecta - Lepidoptera - Nymphalidae - Apaturinae - Eulaceura - osteria

Regional Distribution: Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia

Habitat: not recorded but probably open forest Wingspan: 60mm

Flight time: most of the year depending on location

Life History: egg 3-4 days instar 1 3 days instar 2 4-5 days instar 3 4-5 days instar 4 7-10 days instar 5 11-12 days pupa 7-8 days Total egg to adult 39-47 days. All times approximate.

Larval Hosts: Gironniera nervosa, Gironniera subaequalis (Cannabaceae)

Adult Food Sources: Nectar - not known if it visits flowers for nectar. Other - mud puddling, ripe fruit of Melastoma malabathricum and possibly other Melastoma sp. (Melastomataceae)