''Lethe diana'', the Diana treebrown, is a brush-footed butterfly (subfamily

Satyrinae The Satyrinae, the satyrines or satyrids, commonly known as the browns, are a subfamily of the Nymphalidae (brush-footed butterflies). They were formerly considered a distinct family, Satyridae. This group contains nearly half of the known divers ...

) in the family Nymphalidae. Its wings are a dark shade of brown, with an eyespot pattern, and a wingspan of about 45–55 mm. It resembles ''

Lethe confusa ''Lethe confusa'', the banded treebrown, is a species of butterfly belonging to the satyr family that is found mainly in Southeast Asia and in parts of South Asia. It is about 50–55 mm in expanse with the upper surface of wings predomina ...

''; however, the ''Lethe confusa'' bears a white band on its wings, setting them apart.

Description

The ''Lethe diana'' wingspan ranges from 45 to 55 mm. Its forewings are dark brown, and sometimes have white belt-like patterns that are more apparent on the female. The hindwings are also dark brown with an eyespot pattern adorning the back, with about one or two small eyespots and on the forewings, and six eyespots ranging in size on the hindwing. The veins are a distinctly noticeable darker brown.

Range

The ''Lethe diana'' can be found in regions of Russia such as Primorye, Sakhalin and South Kuril. Regions of Japan such as Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu and Tsushima.

Habitat

''Lethe diana'' can be found in deciduous forests from flatlands and mountains.

Life cycle

The ''Lehte diana'' undergoes the four stages of complete

metamorphosis Metamorphosis is a biological process by which an animal physically develops including birth or hatching, involving a conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in the animal's body structure through cell growth and differentiation. Some inse ...

Eggs

Eggs are laid singularly under the surface of a blade of bamboo grass, and the larvae grows on its own.

Larval host plants

*''

Sasa Sasa may refer to: People * Saša, a given name * Genjū Sasa (1900–1959), Japanese film director and critic * Sa'sa'a bin Sohan (598–666), a companion of Imam Ali revered by Shia Muslims * Sasa (politician), special envoy to the United Nation ...

kuriles''

Adult food sources

* '' Quercus acutissima'' – saw tooth oak * ''

Quercus serrata ''Quercus serrata'', the jolcham oak, (, ) is an East Asian species of tree in the beech family. It is native to China, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea. Description ''Quercus serrata'' is a deciduous oak tree reaching a height of occupying elevations ...

'' – deciduous oak tree * '' Phyllostachys nigra'' - black bamboo * '' Phyllostachys reticulata'' * '' Pleioblastus simonii'' * '' Pleioblastus chino'' * '' Sasa borealis'' * ''

Sasa kurilensis Sasa may refer to: People * Saša, a given name * Genjū Sasa (1900–1959), Japanese film director and critic * Sa'sa'a bin Sohan (598–666), a companion of Imam Ali revered by Shia Muslims * Sasa (politician), special envoy to the United Nation ...

'' - evergreen bamboo * ''

Sasa veitchii is a species of flowering plant in the genus '' Sasa'', in the Poaceae family. Description ''Sasa veitchii'' is a large species of bamboo grass which may reach a height of 1-2m, with leaves about 20cm in length and 4-5cm in width. Young leaves ...

'' * '' Arundinaria'' - cane * '' Poacae'' * ''

'' - broadleaf bamboo ''Lethe diana'' is also known to suck the fluids of

carrion Carrion () is the decaying flesh of dead animals, including human flesh. Overview Carrion is an important food source for large carnivores and omnivores in most ecosystems. Examples of carrion-eaters (or scavengers) include crows, vultures, c ...

in a process known as mud-puddling.

Subspecies

*''Lethe diana diana'' *''Lethe diana australis'' *''Lethe diana sachalinensis'' (southern Sakhalin) *''Lethe diana tomariope'' (Kurile Islands) *''Lethe diana mikuraensis'' (Honshu, Japan)

References

diana Butterflies described in 1866 Butterflies of Japan Taxa named by Arthur Gardiner Butler {{Elymniini-stub