Gangara Thyrsis

''Gangara thyrsis'', commonly known as the giant redeye, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. It breeds on a number of palm species.

Range

It is found in Sri Lanka and India.

Description

The male and female are dark chocolate brown. With a forewing consisting of bright yellow semi-transparent quadrate spots disposed triangularly, the first is large and occupying half the cell, the second also large, obliquely beneath and partly beyond, the third small and obliquely above the second; above the last are three smaller spots obliquely before the apex, the two upper being geminated; in some specimens beneath the subapical spots is a small dot, and on the posterior margin another, both similar to the rest; cilia at posterior angle brownish-white; hindwing with the cilia at the anterior angle brownish white. Underside, forewing irrorated (sprinkled) with grey scales near the apex, posterior margin pale brownish-white, spots yellow as above; hindwing irrorated with grey scales in a series of bands across the wing.

The male of this species presents, on the upperside of each anterior wing, three lines of modified scales, namely, one along the posterior side of the median vein between the origins of its first and second branches, another on each side of the first median veinlet from the origin of this up to the second discal spot, and a third, also double, along an equal portion of the submedian vein, and a thick clothing of setae paler than the groundcolour at the base of the interno-median area, and a similar clothing of paler setae on the middle three-fourths of the sutural area ; and, on the underside, a conspicuous and equally long furry patch of pale fulvous coarse setae divided by the submedian vein.

The wing expanse ranges from .

Life cycle

The larva is greyish-white with a few ochreous dorsal spots and marks. From the body, a loose shaggy filamentous clothing consisting of pure wax is excreted, but which is easily rubbed off when handled, leaving the larva quite naked.

Food plants

The larvae feed on palms and canes including ''Cocos nucifera'', '' Calamus pseudotenuis'', ''Calamus rotang'', ''Calamus thwaitesii'', '' Phoenix loureirii'', '' Licuala chinensis'' and ''Phoenix humilis''. Has also been recorded on ''Zingiber officinale''.

Gallery

File:Gangara thyrsis egg bangalore.JPG, Egg of the giant redeye butterfly
File:Gangara thyrsis catterpillar emerging from egg bangalore.JPG, Giant redeye caterpillar emerging from its egg
File:Gangara thyrsis caterpillar first instar bangalore.JPG, Giant redeye first instar caterpillar
File:Gangara thyrsis caterpillar second instar bangalore.JPG, Giant redeye second instar caterpillar
Image:Gangara thyrsis cat2 sec.jpg, Caterpillar
Image:Gangara thyrsis cat3 sec.jpg , Caterpillar
Image:Gangara thyrsis cat sec.jpg , Caterpillar without the wax
File:Gangara thyrsis caterpillar final instar.JPG, Giant redeye caterpillar in its later instar
Image:Gangara thyrsis pupa2.jpg , Pupa
Image:Gangara thyrsis pupa sec.jpg , Pupa
File:GangaraThyrsisEmerge6.jpg, A freshly emerged specimen
File:GiantReadeye GangaraThyrsis 0518.JPG, Giant redeye

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3595923

Hesperiinae
Butterflies of Asia
Butterflies of Singapore
Butterflies of Indochina