<> Vindula erota (Fabricius, 1793) <>

the Common Cruiser ผีเสื้อตาลหางแหลมธรรมดา

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

Vindula erota is common and appears throughout the region. It is dimorphic and while the markings are similar in both sexes the difference is in colour, with the male upper wings being predominantly orangey-red and the female being grey. The female is rarely seen as she spends most of her time in the treetops but they do sometimes come down to puddle. Males are avid puddlers and most often seen at the side of streams. They are not at all nervous and are easily approached.

The species is multivoltine with several broods per annum.

Synonyms: Cynthia pura, Cynthia erota, Cynthia circe, Cynthia auricoma, Cynthia arsinoe, Cynthia triocellata, Callisatyrus jinguangensis

Taxonomy: Animalia - Arthropoda - Insecta - Lepidoptera - Nymphalidae - Heliconiinae - Vindula - erota

Regional subspecies: Vindula erota banta (Sulawesi-Indonesia), Vindula erota chersonesia (S.Thailand, W.Malaysia, Sumatra-Indonesia), Vindula erota erota (India, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Yunnan-China, W.Malaysia), Vindula erota gedeana (Java-Indonesia), Vindula erota montana (E.Malaysia, Kalimantan- Indonesia), Vindula erota orahilia (Indonesia), Vindula erota palawanica (Palawan-Philippines)

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

Habitat: Vindula erota is found in rainforest, moist evergreen and deciduous montane forest, and forest edges, usually near streams. It has been recorded at elevations up to 2200m a.s.l.

Flight time: all year depending on location Wingspan: 70-90mm

Life History: not fully known but the Egg to Adult period is believed to be 24-36 days

Larval Hosts: Adenia heterophylla, Adenia hondala, Adenia macrophylla, Adenia pierrei, Passiflora foetida, Passiflora subpeltata (Passifloraceae). Other plants from the Passifloraceae family may also be used but as yet unrecorded.
Actual host plant used depends upon location and availabilty of plant species.

Adult Food Sources: Nectar - Ageratina adenophora, Ageratum conyzoides, Bidens pilosa, Crassocephalum cerpidioides, Gynura nitida, Helichrysum bracteatum, Mikania micrantha, Parthenium hysterophorus, Taraxacum javanicum, Vernonia conyzoides, Youngia japonica (Asteraceae), Ixora coccinea, Ixora javanica (Rubiaceae), Duranta repens, Lantana camara, Verbena rigida (Verbenaceae), Cestrum aurantiacum, Solanum mauritianum (Solanaceae), Hypericum japonicum, Hypericum mysorense (Hypericaceae), Justicia japonica (Acanthaceae), Kosteletzkya vitifolia, Sida acuta (Malvaceae), Oplismenus undulatifolius (Poaceae), Oxalis latifolia (Oxalidaceae), Leucas lamiifolia, Plectranthus barbatus, Rotheca serrata (Lamiaceae), Cytisus scoparius (Fabaceae), 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), Melastoma malabathricum (Melastomataceae), Mangifera indica (Anacardiaceae), Passiflora foetida (Passifloraceae). Other: mud puddling, animal dung, bird droppings, rotten fruit, carrion.