Lexias dirtea

 

<> Lexias dirtea  Fabricius,1793 <>

the Black-tipped Archduke     ผีเสื้ออ๊าชดุ๊คปลายหนวดดำ

 
 
 

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Lexias dirtea
Photo taken at Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand  ♂ 400m a.s.l.

Lexias dirtea is fairly widespread throughout the region although I have only personally seen it once. It is uncommon in many places but may be common locally. It is sexually dimorphic and the sexes look quite different to each other. It is almost impossible to distinguish from its more common sister species, L.pardalis, unless you can get close enough to see the tips of the antennae which are black in dirtea and orange in pardalis. There is also much seasonal, individual, and geographic variation in the appearance of this species.The species is multivoltine with several broods per annum. Further study of this species is much needed.

Synonyms and previously used names:   Euthalia dirtea, Papilio dirtea, Adolias dirtea, Euthalia acutipenna, Lexias pandita, Euthalia eleanor


Taxonomy:  Animalia - Arthropoda - Insecta - Lepidoptera - Nymphalidae - Limenitidinae - Lexias - dirtea

Regional subspecies:    Lexias dirtea agosthena (Thailand, Laos, Vietnam), L.d.bontouxi (Yunnan-China), L.d.chalcedonides (E.Malaysia, Kalimantan-Indonesia), L.d.khasiana (NE India, Myanmar), L.d.merguia (S.Myanmar, S.Thailand, W.Malaysia, Singapore), L.d.palawana (Palawan-Philippines). There are also a number of subspecies listed on various Indonesian islands.

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

Habitat:  Lexias dirtea is usually found in montane forest and has been recorded at elevations up to 1800m a.s.l.

Flight time:  most of the year, depending on location                          Wingspan:  65-90mm

Life History:   not known

Larval Hosts:  Agathis robusta (Araucariaceae), Cratoxylum maingayi (Hypericaceae), Garcinia lateriflora (Clusiaceae), Calophyllum sp. (Calophyllaceae).  Hosts used depends upon location and availability of plant species.

Adult Food Sources:  Nectar - Not known to visit flowers. Other - mud puddling, over-ripe fruit, animal dung, carrion

Agathis robusta
Agathis robusta, a larval host

Calophyllum sp.
Calophyllum sp., 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 22nd April 2026