Limenitis dudu

 

<> Limenitis dudu  Westwood,1850 <>

the White Commodore     ผีเสื้อแถบขาวใหญ่

 

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Neptis capnodes
Photo taken at Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand. 700m a.s.l.

Uncommon but fairly widespread across the whole region. Interestingly, it is not found in Penisular Malaysia although it has reached Indonesia. The sexes look similar to each other but the female is significantly larger. It has a strong gliding flight and prefers shaded areas within the forest when it is not feeding. Multivoltine with several broods per annum. There is not a great deal of information available about this species and further study is needed.

Synonyms and previously used names:   Parasarpa dudu, Sumalia dudu, Limenitis dudu

Taxonomy:  Animalia - Arthropoda - Insecta - Lepidoptera - Nymphalidae - Limenitidinae - Limenitis - dudu

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

Habitat:  montane forest, up to 1800m a.s.l.                                           Wingspan:  65-75mm

Flight time:  most of the year, depending on location

Larval Hosts:  Lonicera acuminata, Lonicera confusa, Lonicera hypoglauca, Lonicera japonica, Lonicera longiflora, Lonicera macrantha (Caprifoliaceae).  Hosts used depends upon location and availability of plant species.

Adult Food Sources:  Nectar - Zanthoxylum avicennae (Rutaceae), Pleione hookeriana, Vanda cristata (Orchidaceae), Osbeckia nepalensis (Melastomataceae).  Other - mud puddling

Limenitis dudu
Chiang Mai, Thailand

Osbeckia nepalensis
Osbeckia nepalensis, a nectar source

Lonicera japonica
Lonicera japonica, a larval host

Butterflies of Thailand and SE Asia  -  BugsAlive Species Information Sheet
© All images are the copyright of Tim Stratford

 

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