<> Telchinia issoria Hübner, [1819] <>

the Yellow Coster ผีเสื้อหนอนหนามปีกเหลือง

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Photo taken at Bagan, Mandalay, Myanmar. 420m a.s.l.

Fairly widespread but not common and may be limited by the scarcity of particular host plants. Slow and fairly weak flight. Sexes are not dissimilar in appearance but the female is much darker on the upper wings with extensive darkening to the veins. Voltinism is not fully understood but there may be only two broods per annum due to their long lifecycle period.

Synonyms and previously used names: Acraea issoria, Acraea anomala, Acraea vesta, Pareba vesta, Pareba issoria

Taxonomy: Animalia - Arthropoda - Insecta - Lepidoptera - Nymphalidae - Heliconiinae - Telchinia - issoria

Regional subspecies: T.i.formosana (Taiwan), T.i.issoria (India, N.Vietnam, China), T.i.sordice (Myanmar, Thailand, N.Laos, China), T.i.vestalina (S.Laos, S.Vietnam), T.i.vestita (Indonesia), T.i.vestoides (Indonesia)

Regional Distribution: India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia

Habitat: montane forest edges and wet grassland, up to 3000m a.s.l. Wingspan: 50-70mm

Flight time: most of the year depending on location

Life History: egg 21-22 days instar 1 6-7 days instar 2 5-6 days instar 3 6 days instar 4 6 days instar 5 7 days pupa 9-10 days Total egg to adult 60-64 days. All times approximate. NOTE: One study gives much longer larval periods but more investigation is needed.

Larval Hosts: Buddleja asiatica (Scrophulariaceae), Rubus ellipticus (Rosaceae), Boehmeria densiflora, Boehmeria japonica, Boehmeria nivea, Boehmeria penduliflora, Boehmeria sieboldiana, Boehmeria virgata, Debregeasia longifolia, Debregeasia saeneb, Elatostema lineolatum, Girardinia diversifolia, Gonostegia triandra, Oreocnide frutescens, Pouzolzia rugulosa, Pouzolzia sanguinea, Pouzolzia zeylanica, Urtica dioica, Urtica taiwaniana (Urticaceae). Actual host plant used depends upon location and availabilty of plant species.

Adult Food Sources: Nectar - Lantana camara, Verbena bonariensis (Verbanacae), Bidens sp., Erigeron sp. (Asteraceae), Vaccinium retusum (Ericaceae), Gentiana capitata (Gentianaceae). NOTE: there are probably other flower species visited but not yet recorded. Other: it is not known if they feed on any other resources.