I found a butterfly,looks similar to to psyche , moving from one plant to another. Are they searching for host plants ? I trapped that psyche using a net shawl and took pictures.
Place : Cherukkad, Kozhikode
Date:7/12/2023
Time :2pm
Theertha
I do have a mini - cardamine forest .I kept that butterfly into those cardamine plants.
Place : Cherukkad, Kozhikode
Date:7/12/2023
Time :2pm
Theertha
Later I found that psyche is laying eggs on cardamine plants.
Place : Cherukkad, Kozhikode
Date:7/12/2023
Time :2pm
Theertha
Picture of eggs ,I could find 4 eggs .still searching.later I got one more eggs .
Place : Cherukkad, Kozhikode
Date:7/12/2023
Time :2pm
Theertha.
Later on 8/12/2023 .I repeated the same , I capture a psyche and added to my mini - cardamine forest .
Now total of 6 eggs I kept in a plastic box and two of them are in cardamine garden .
I saw this psyche butterfly flying from one plant to other ,I felt this may search for host plant !? I just captured and added to my cardamine pots & I founded this
Observation: Observed 3 pupa on Cleome plant on 9/08/2024. Hypothesis: Pupa may be of Psyche Butterfly.
Pupa emerged as a Butterfly today (10/8/2024)at 9am. Interpretations: The emerged butterfly is Psyche Butterfly because of the following reason:
The upper forewing has a black spot on a mainly white background.
Upperside: white; base of wings very slightly powdered with minute black scales. Hindwing is white.
Underside: white; costal margin and apex of forewing broadly, and the whole surface of the hindwing irrorated (speckled) with transverse, very slender, greenish strigae and minute dots.
larva also feeds on leaves of Cardamine & Cleome species.
Pupa: Sometimes green, but more often of a delicate pink shade
Host plant: Cleome rutidosperma https://indiabiodiversity.org/species/show/229206
Date of observation started:24/08/2024
Date of butterfly emerged:28/08/2024
Place: Cherukkad Kozhikode
Photo: Theertha
How did you identify gravid female Psyche butterfly?
