Cethosia penthesilea

Cethosia penthesilea paksha Fruhstorfer, 1905
Orange Lacewing
(one synonym: Eugramma paksha)
HELICONIINAE , NYMPHALIDAE

Don Herbison-Evans ( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley

(updated 8 May 2008)

Cethosia penthesilea
(Specimen: courtesy Butterfly House, Coffs Harbour)

The eggs of this species are laid typically in clusters around a stem of the food plant. They are cylindrical and ribbed, and coloured pale yellow. They are about 1 millimetre in height.

The Caterpillars are brown with some white patches. The Caterpillars are covered in black spiky hairs. They grow to a length of about 3 cms. They feed on the leaves, fruit, and stems of :

Lacewing Vine ( Adenia heterophylla, PASSIFLORACEAE ).

(Photo: courtesy of Peter R. Samson,
Bureau of Sugar Experiment Station, Mackay)

The pupa is brown and spiky, with white marks and gold spots. It hangs head downward from a cremaster. Its length is about 3 cms.

The adult butterflies which have forewings that on top are orange, with a large black area on each wing tip containing a white band and a row of white spots. The upper surface of each hind wing is orange with a broad black border.

(Specimen: courtesy Butterfly House, Coffs Harbour)

Underneath, both wings are brown with white bands bordered by rows of black spots. The adults have a wingspan up to 7 cms.

Thailand 1978

This species occurs in south-east Asia and Indonesia, and around the Gulf of Carpentaria in Australia.