Introduction

There are 24 species in the genus Melanargia, known commonly as the Marbled Whites. One of the most widespread and common species is the common Marbled White M. galathea which is found across most of Europe but is absent from eastern Asia, except for Japan, where its presence is unexplained. Another very widespread species is Esper’s Marbled White M. russiae, which has a range stretching from Spain to Siberia.

The genus is readily recognised by virtue of the black-on-white marbled uppersides, and the series of submarginal ocelli on the underside hindwings. Both sexes are similar in pattern, but males are a purer white. Females are slightly creamy in appearance, especially when freshly emerged, and are patterned in dark brown rather than the neutral black of males.

Melanargia epimede is found from the Ukraine to eastern Mongolia, China and Korea.

Habitats

This is a low-mid elevation species found in hay meadows, woodland glades and sheltered alpine pastures.

Lifecycle

The larvae feed nocturnally on the grass Agrostis clavata.

Adult behaviour

To be completed.

Introduction

To be completed.

Habitats

To be completed.

Lifecycle

To be completed.

Adult behaviour

To be completed.

Introduction

There are about 100 species in the genus Erebia, distributed variously across the Holarctic region, with 46 species recorded in Europe.

Almost all species inhabit damp high altitude grasslands. Most species are dark brown and feature a series of white-centred black ocelli set within a suffused area of orange towards the outer part of both wings. The markings are repeated on the underside but are more subdued.

Erebia theano is found in the Altai mountains, Siberia and Mongolia.

Habitats

This species inhabits lush grassy glades and clearings in coniferous and deciduous woodland at elevations between about 1000-2000m.

Lifecycle

I have no data regarding theano. The majority of Erebia species lay their eggs singly at the base of blades of grasses or sedges. Erebia larvae normally enter hibernation in the 2nd instar. They overwinter deep at the base of grasses and may be buried under snow for several months. In the spring after the snows melt, they awaken and resume feeding, becoming fully grown by early May. They feed at dusk, high up on the grass blades, leaving nibbled notches which give away their presence. In poor spring seasons larval development may be very slow, and it is likely that some larvae are unable to complete their growth in a single season and may spend 2 successive winters in hibernation. Erebia pupae are usually formed within a very flimsy cocoon at the base of grass tussocks.

Adult behaviour

On sunny days males imbibe moisture at the edge of puddles in warm sunny weather. Both sexes nectar at Asteraceae.

Introduction

There are 27 species in the genus Paralasa, most of which were formerly placed in Erebia.

Paralasa are confined to the mountains of central Asia.

Paralasa jordana is found in Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and the Tien Shan.

Habitats

This is a high altitude species, found on dry northern slopes in the Tien Shan, Alaisky and Pamir mountains.

Lifecycle

To be completed.

Adult behaviour

To be completed.

Introduction

The genus Tatinga comprises of a single species, thibetanus.

Tatinga thibetanus is endemic to Tibet and n.w. China.

Habitats

To be completed.

Lifecycle

To be completed.

Adult behaviour

To be completed.

Introduction

The genus Lethe is composed of 112 species, most of which are found in temperate forests in Asia, although there is one species endemic to Sulawesi, another endemic to Java. Several of the species are very localised, being confined to the forests of particular mountains, but others are widespread. The commonest and most widely distributed species is rohria, which is found from Afghanistan to China, and south to Java, Bali and Lombok.

Lethe species typically have sombre earthy brown uppersides, although a few such as europa have prominent white diagonal bands on their forewings. In some such as sinorix there is a series of dark ocelli on the hindwings, set within a band of suffused orange.

The undersides of all species are much more strongly marked than the upper surface, and feature a series of 7 prominent submarginal ocelli. Several species including baladeva, albolineata, yunnana, argentata, andersoni and luteofasciata have striking white, silver or yellowish streaks underneath but these are barely visible on the upper surface.

Lethe argentata is endemic to China.

Habitats

To be completed.

Lifecycle

To be completed.

Adult behaviour

To be completed.

Introduction

There are 24 species in the genus Polyura, most of which are found in the Oriental region, although one species posidonius is restricted to Tibet and west China; 6 or 7 are endemic to various islands, e.g. andrewsi from Christmas Island and caphontis from Fiji; and one, pyrrhus reaches Queensland in Australia.

The butterflies are characterised by their distinctive wing shape with twin tails on the hindwings, a feature strongly reminiscent of the African Charaxes. Most have dark brown uppersides with bands of dazzling creamy white which vary in size and shape from one species to another. These bands are repeated on the underside, often in a beautiful shade of pale green. In several species such as delphis and eudamippus the underside is almost entirely white.

Polyura eudamippus is a very widespread species, found in northern India, Nepal, Burma, Thailand, Laos, peninsular Malaysia, western & central China, and Taiwan.

Habitats

To be completed.

Lifecycle

The larval foodplants are Albizia, Celtis and Rhamnella.

Adult behaviour

Males are common and often seen imbibing mineralised moisture from damp sand, gravel, or road surfaces. It is common to find 2 or 3 males of mixed Polyura species aggregating on the ground, feeding avidly at dung. When feeding they are almost oblivious of humans. If deliberately disturbed however they fly up to settle on tree foliage nearby, and return as soon as they sense danger has passed. The flight is very rapid and powerful.

Introduction

There are 3 species in the genus Stibochiona. These are coresia which is found on the islands of Sumatra, Borneo, Java and Nias; persephone which appears to be endemic to Borneo, and nicea which is known from northeast India, Burma, Thailand, West Malaysia and China.

Habitats

To be completed.

Lifecycle

To be completed.

Adult behaviour

To be completed.

Introduction

There are 24 species in the genus Polyura, most of which are found in the Oriental region, although one species posidonius is restricted to Tibet and west China; 6 or 7 are endemic to various islands, e.g. andrewsi from Christmas Island and caphontis from Fiji; and one, pyrrhus reaches Queensland in Australia.

The butterflies are characterised by their distinctive wing shape with twin tails on the hindwings, a feature strongly reminiscent of the African Charaxes. Most have dark brown uppersides with bands of dazzling creamy white which vary in size and shape from one species to another. These bands are repeated on the underside, usually in a beautiful shade of pale green. In a few species such as narcaeus and dolon the underside is almost entirely white.

Polyura narcaeus is found in northeast India, Burma, Thailand, Tibet, China and Vietnam.

Habitats

To be completed.

Lifecycle

To be completed.

Adult behaviour

Males are often seen imbibing mineralised moisture from damp sand, gravel, or road surfaces. It is common to find 2 or 3 males of mixed Polyura species aggregating on the ground, feeding avidly at dung. When feeding they are almost oblivious of humans. If deliberately disturbed however they fly up to settle on tree foliage nearby, and return as soon as they sense danger has passed. The flight is very rapid and powerful.

Introduction

The genus Neptis, together with Pantoporia and Athyma can be regarded as a ‘sister’ genus to the holarctic Limenitis and the neotropical Adelpha.

There are about 170 Neptis species, of which about 65 occur in Africa, 40+ in the Palaearctic, 50 in the Oriental region and 6 in the Australian / Papuan region. The genus is unsatisfactorily split into several loosely defined groups. It is likely that phylogenetic analysis will eventually lead to each of these being classified as a separate genus or sub-genus.

The upperside ground colour of a typical Neptis is dark brown or blackish, with a long white streak in the forewing discal cell, and a distinctive arrangement of white bands and spots. In some species the white markings are replaced by yellowish or orange. The pattern is repeated on the underside, on a plain orange-brown ground colour.

Neptis dejeani is found in China and Japan.

Habitats

This species inhabits humid deciduous forest at altitudes up to about 1000m.

Lifecycle

The larvae reportedly feed on Fabaceae and Malvaceae.

Adult behaviour

Males imbibe mineralised moisture from damp ground, and spend long periods perching on the foliage of trees and bushes where they await passing females. Both sexes imbibe aphid secretions ‘honey-dew’ which coat the upper surface of leaves. The flight is slow, precise and graceful but if alarmed the butterflies can move rapidly.