Butterfly watch - Red pierrot

With a few nectar plants, my home garden attracts many local butterflies. Almost 35 species are photographed and a few are noticed but could not be photographed. One of the nectar plant which I most liking is knap-weed. When I noticed a large number of butterflies feeding nectar on this weed plant near a paddy field, I planted it at my home garden. Though it was not at all beautiful, it bears flowers which is rich in nectar. Even the fast moving butterfly like Tailed Jay becomes statue on  these flowers as probing of compound flower is time consuming. With this knap weed plants, flowering during Sept-October (when butterfly activity is maximum), many butterflies were recorded by photography. 

On one evening in January, when butterfly activities are reduced, one butterfly attracted me with its striking colours. This small butterfly was continuously moving in Zig Zag pattern could not be identified. After a few minutes it sat once on a plant helping me to identify. Yes its RED PIERROT. Not new to me...but first time seen in my garden. Once again it started flying. I wonder how these tiny creatures get so much energy to fly continuously. It was so active that there is no sign of settling. I left with no hope of photography. 

Next day during morning hours, two more pierrot butterflies were sighted flying at almost ground level. This time they are sitting on different plants like Tulsi, Bringaraj, basking in sunlight etc. I quickly brought my DSLR  and took a few shots.

Red Pierrot on Tulsi flower...

 

Probing Bringaraja flower (Eclipta prostrata) for necter...

I was lucky enough to get some shots with wings half or a little more open. Really Red pierrot is awesome. Pattern and colouration on upper side and lower side of hind wing is striking. 

Sun Basking on Bryophyllum pinnatum (Commonly called Kadubasale in Kannada)

It looks wonderful when flying also. Though it belongs to blues family, it is prominently RED!!!  Blues family or family lycaenids is the the second largest family of butterfly and has 30 % of all butterfly species. The butterfly has a wingspan of 3 to 3.5 cm. On the underside, the forewing is white with black spots more toward the margin. The hindwing is very striking, it is white with black spots toward the base and the margin has a wide band of orange with white spots. There is a lot of variation found in the blacks spots on the hindwings. 

With its typical behaviour of sitting here and there, it sat on a small hurb for considerable time. Suddenly it flashed to mind that whether the plant is host plant for this butterfly?!! I searched all around the plant. Even though I could not notice any caterpillar, there are some signs!!!, some leaves are half dry.!!! looks like something is eaten up the leaf. wow...! here is a pupa.!!!

Oval shaped Pupa with dark colours and white hairs under side of the leaf of host plant

 A dark coloured oval shaped pupa with dots on it and some hairy appearance. Google came to help me....!!! That is the host plant for Red Pierrot, Bryophyllum. In local Kannada language we call it as Kadubasale. This is the one plant we use to play with during our childhood. A peculiar behaviour of  vegetatively growing small plantlets on the fringes of the leaves; these eventually drop off and root.

Bryophyllum pinnatum plant with fresh leaves, ideal for butterfly to lay egg.

Oh no... there are a few more skin of pupae. May be now flying butterflies are emerged out from these pupal case. Larval behaviour stated in Wikipedia  matches with the findings. This caterpillar is a leaf miner by habit and this serves as its defense. What an Idea Sirji!!! As soon as it hatches it bores into the leaf and will spend the rest of its life between the epidermal layers of the leaf. The caterpillar tunnels through the entire leaf in a neat winding manner so as to make sure to consume the entire leaf. It leaves a black trail within that is filled with droppings. The dried leaves are having tunnels filled with droppings and one hole where it exits!!!

Nice idea to hide from predators....I could not notice any caterpillar there. At the time of pupation the caterpillar comes out of the leaf and weaves a silk pad and a tight body band and then moults to form the pupa. The pupa can be either on the under or upper surface of the leaf. It is yellow and covered with long light hairs. The pupa is also marked with numerous black spots all over the body. Now i have to wait till the butterfly emerge from the pupa!!!...

Very next day I went to Bryophyllum plant to see the status of pupa...still butterfly is sleeping..!!, (When we are children, we thought it sleeps inside the pupa...!!!)  OK fine...let me wait...suddenly I noticed a adult butterfly under side of a leaf, hanging itself upside down...oh..its just emerged from pupa..!!pupal case is just near by... it is drying its wing before it takes the first flight. The butterfly hangs upside down from the chrysalis or a nearby surface to complete the emergence process.  The wings appear folded or crinkled and the butterfly must begin the process of expanding and drying its wings before flight is possible.  Meconium is pumped into the venation structures of the wings by wing movement and the help of gravity.  Once the wings have fully expanded, the meconium will be pumped back into the body of the butterfly. Light touch on wing may damage or deform the wing which may be detrimental to butterfly. (Its very important to note this as a butterfly observer) The small amount of meconium still in the veins of the wings will dry and harden giving the wings a more sturdy structure that will allow flight. 

I had taken many photographs with DSLR as well as close up with mobile camera...

Freshly emerged adult butterfly drying its wings....

I waited for half an hour to observe the wing slow opening closing action of butterfly. But not observed. I went for my job and when i came back after 15 min, it was already took off...  

Once again started searching for larva. Larva normally invisible, will come out of leaf while changing the leaves. 
After a while i noticed a white spot on a leaf...is it an Egg? Difficult to conclude with naked eyes. I took Photos in SLR. On magnification, it is confirmed as egg.

Almost all stages are recorded with photography. 
Bryophyllum pinnatum  plant was just a weed in our garden. However we have not removed it as it is not disturbing. Finally it gave me a subject for documentation. 





Nagaraja Adiga,
Kaiga Township.