|
Expert Insight
Issue 3, January 2002 by Simon Chan Kee Mun
|
Common Name
Scientific Name
Family
Subfamily
Discovered by
Polymorphism |
: Painted Jezebel
: Delias hyparete metarete
: Pieridae
: Pierinae
: Linnaeus in 1758 (the species 'hyparete') and Butler in 1879
(the subspecies 'metarete')
: No |
|
nother species most likely to be encountered by a
beginner is the Painted Jezebel. Like many species from the Pieridae family,
this is a medium sized insect with white as the dominant colour and some
degree of black on its wing veins.
It cannot be mistaken for any other butterfly due to its bright colours and
flight pattern, which has been described as a nonchalant, graceful and slow
flapping of the wings. The reason for this 'devil may care' attitude is its
toxicity that was accumulated during its earlier stages as a caterpillar. As
a warning to predators of this fact, it displays red and yellow on its
underside hindwings.
|
Delias Hyparete metarete
(Painted Jezebel) |
|
|
|
|
The genus Delias, represented in Singapore by one other species that is most
likely extinct; ie Delias pasithoe parthenope, are lofty fliers, usually
seen at tree canopy level. However, they do come down occasionally to feed
on nectaring flowers. While the females of this genus are rarely seen,
females of Painted Jezebel are less elusive. She can be easily
differentiated from the whiter males.
A frequent visitor to open woods and gardens, this species has been spotted
flying in all sorts of weather, even when the sky turns dark and menacing. I
have chanced upon two individuals chasing each other during a bout of heavy
drizzle. On other occasions, it has being spotted on the wing even at dusk.
Seasonally common at elevations up to 4,000 feet, it is by far the most
abundant on the plains.
 |
|
Dendropthoe pentandra |
|
Eggs are laid many at one go, usually more than a dozen, by the female on
the underside of a leaf of the hostplant, Dendropthoe pentandra (Loranthaceae)
which is a parasite to trees. They are creamy yellow and slightly elongated
and are placed in an elliptical pattern about the size of a twenty-cent
coin. The gregarious hairy larva has an overall dirty yellow body with a
black head. Throughout its five instars, it retains this coloration. Feeding
is done together as a group on the upper surface of a leaf. As the time of
pupation approaches, each caterpillar will break away from the group to find
a secure place to pupate. Its pupa is yellow with shining black spots and
stumpy spikes. It is attached to either a twig or the under surface of a
leaf and is suspended by a very fine girdle.
|
Eggs and freshly emerged larvae |
Larvae feeding in group |
|
|
|
|
|
Pupa |
|
|
|
|
|
Pupating |
Pupa |
Just before emerging |
|
| |
|
Freshly emerged adult |
 |
|
When NSS decided to initiate a project (Project
Painted Wings) to study the diversity of butterflies in Singapore,
Painted Jezebel was unanimously chosen as the mascot. It came as no surprise
as this species epitomise all the qualities we admire in a butterfly :
-
Adaptability. As its caterpillar hostplant is a parasite
of trees, it thrives in our urban landscape.
-
Colourful.
-
Common.
-
Graceful.
-
Friendly to our garden plants.
|
