<> Tirumala septentrionis (Butler,1874) <>

the Dark Blue Tiger ผีเสื้อลายเสือฟ้าเข้ม

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Photo taken at Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand. 460m a.s.l.

Tirumala septentrionis is a widespread species but not as common as its sister species T.limniace. It has a slow gliding flight and the sexes are very similar in appearance. In early morning the males often congregate with some other Danaid species to feed on pyrrolizidine alkaloids oozing from the stems and seed pods of Senna bushes. It is multivoltine with several broods per annum.

Synonyms and previously used names: Danais melissa, Danaida melissa, Danais septentrionis

Taxonomy: Animalia - Arthropoda - Insecta - Lepidoptera - Nymphalidae - Danainae - Tirumala - septentrionis

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

Habitat: Tirumala septentrionis is found in evergreen and deciduous forest and hillsides. It has been recorded at elevations up to 2000m 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 2-3 days instar 3 2-3 days instar 4 2-3 days instar 5 3-4 days pupa 7-8 days Total egg to adult 22-28 days. All times approximate.

Larval Hosts: Calotropis gigantea, Cosmostigma cordatum, Heterostemma brownii, Heterostemma tanjorense, Vallaris solanacea, Wattakaka volubilis (Apocynaceae), Cocculus laurifolius, Diploclisia glaucescens (Menispermaceae), Gluta usitata (Anacardiaceae). Actual host plant used depends upon location and availabilty of plant species.

Adult Food Sources: Nectar - Duranta erecta, Lantana camara, Stachytarpheta jamaicensis, Verbena rigida (Verbenaceae), Crotalaria juncea, Crotalaria retusa, Cytisus scoparius (Fabaceae), Ageratina adenophora, Bidens alba, Bidens pilosa, Crassocephalum cerpidioides, Crassocephalum rubens, Gynura nitida, Helichrysum bracteatum, Parthenium hysterophorus, Spilanthes paniculata, Tagetes erecta, Taraxacum javanicum, Tridax procumbens, Vernonia conyzoides, Youngia japonica (Asteraceae), Heliotropium indicum, Trichodesma zeylanica (Boraginaceae), Cestrum aurantiacum, Solanum mauritianum (Solanaceae), Hypericum japonicum, Hypericum mysorense (Hypericaceae), Justicia japonica (Acanthaceae), Sida acuta (Malvaceae), Oplismenus undulatifolius (Poaceae), Oxalis latifolia (Oxalidaceae), Leucas lamiifolia, Plectranthus barbatus, Rotheca serrata (Lamiaceae), Verbascum thapsus (Scrophulariaceae), Trichilia connaroides (Meliaceae), Nothapodytes nimmoniana (Icacinaceae), Rhodomyrtus tomentosa (Myrtaceae), Oenothera rosea (Onagraceae), Prinsepia utilis, Rubus ellipticus (Rosaceae), Rhamnus wightii (Rhamnaceae), Euphorbia milii, Euphorbia rothiana (Euphorbiaceae). Other - mud puddling (occasional).