<> Stichophthalma louisa Wood-Mason,1877 <>
the Jungle Queen ผีเสื้อนางพญา
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Photo taken at Lamnamkok National Park, Chiang Rai, Thailand. 800m a.s.l.
This is another species in the Morphinae subfamily that has a limited distribution mainly confined to the northern part of the region. Although it is an impressive butterfly our knowledge of this species is also somewhat limited. It is a forest dweller and probably prefers the shaded areas. An easily recognisable species and the underside appearance (most often the only one seen) of both sexes is similar. It is not known how many broods it produces per annum. More research needs to be done.
Synonyms and previously used names: Thaumantis louisa, Stichophthalma mathilda
Taxonomy: Animalia - Arthropoda - Insecta - Lepidoptera - Nymphalidae - Morphinae - Stichophthalma - louisa
Regional Distribution: Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, China
Habitat: primary and bamboo montane forest, up to 1300m a.s.l. Wingspan: 100-110mm
Flight time: uncertain but possibly March to October
Larval Hosts: not known but possibly Phyllostachys sp., Miscanthus sp., Bambusa sp. (Poaceae), and Calamus melanochaetes (Arecaceae)
Adult Food Sources: Nectar - not known if it feeds on nectar. Other - tree sap, rotting fruit, animal dung, mud puddling (occasional)
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| Luang Prabang, Laos |
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| Calamus melanochaetes, a possible larval host |
Links to other pages in this series for species in the same subfamily
