Common Mormon Butterfly

The Common Mormon is a black butterfly found in south-east Asia. The male is black with white spots on the lower wing. There are 3 types of females: Cyrus, being black with white spots with small red spots(looks like a male); Stichius has fewer white spots and more red spots; and Romulous has only red spots. In the video given at the end of this post, the butterfly laying eggs is Cyrus, the one hatching is Stichius and the one in the photo at the end of the video is Romulus.

Cyrus common Mormon

Stichius common mormon

The life cycle of swallowtail. Observed in February 2020. Like and subscribe!

Scientific name:

Papilio polytes

Life cycle

The whole life cycle is shown in the video. Description for each stage is given below. The eyepiece was very useful here. The photo of the egg, larva, osmeterium, and its hatching are taken with eyepiece and phone.

Egg stage:

The Common Mormon butterfly lays eggs on a curry leaf plant (neem) or lemon plant, which are the host plants for the larvae. The eggs are yellow in color initially and the size of a mustard seed. The butterfly lays its eggs underneath the leaf. I have a neem plant and a lemon plant on my balcony so the butterflies come every year in the spring season.

Laying eggs

                     Egg of common Mormon/swallowtail

                                         

It is fascinating how they are able to find a neem or lemon plant in the concrete jungle I live in.  It takes about 3-4 days for the eggs to hatch. The eggs turn darker and are completely black before the hatch. After hatching the larvae eat their egg shell first.

Eating eggshell

Larval phase:

The larvea are very vulnerable in the initial days after hatching, They usually fall off the plant due to wind or lose grip on dusty leaves. They are brown in color and resemble bird excreta in the initial stage.

As they feed on leaves and gain weight, their hairy skin is replaced by a smooth skin layer by the 2nd or 3rd instar. They shed their skin 4 times and each phase between that is called an instar. They resemble bird poop until 5th instar.

The caterpillars often feed on leaves very fast and then make a silk pad to get a firm grip and rest for digesting the leaves.

Caterpillar sitting on silk pad

Resembles Bird excreta

An osmeterium is a red membranous tissue that protrudes from their head when they are disturbed. This is a defense mechanism and a mimicry of snake. It also secretes a liquid that has a fruity smell. It is intriguing that they eat lemon leaves but give a sweet smell. Some show it in early stages and others in the 5th Instar.

 

In the 5th instar, they shed their brown skin and become green. In this instar they best mimic a snake. Their green body has eyes like patterns on their neck. When touched they show their osmeterium. 

Emerging as a snake, leaving its old skin behind

Mimics a snake in the 5th instar

Showing the osmeterium to mimic a snake

They feed for about 4 weeks and then tie a silk thread to hang onto a branch for 2 to 3 days.

It takes about 5 to 7 minutes to shed their skin and emerge as chrysalis.

Pupa stage

The caterpillar forms a pupa that is either green or woody-brown in color depending on the background on which it builds the pupa/chrysalis. The pupa covering is very soft initially and is vulnerable to Chalcid wasps. To protect it from chalcid wasps I carefully cut the layer of the bark on which it made the pupa and pasted it on a toilet paper roll. Then I put this in a netted box.

The chalcid wasps make a small hole in the chrysalis and lay eggs inside it. The chalcid wasp's larvae eat the butterfly and dozens of new wasps emerge from the chrysalis. One of the chrysalides was almost infected by a chalcid wasp, but I spotted it in time. If the pupa is infected it will be bent outwards and the lower portion won't be firm. It will also have a dark pigmentation.

The pupa turns black before it hatches. It takes 10 to 12 days for the pupa to hatch. 

Butterfly stage

The first chrysalis hatched when I was at school so I couldn't film it nor see it. When the second one turned black I knew it would hatch the other day. I had been up since 5:30 am waiting for the moment setting up my phone and eyepiece, and a camera too. I had my chemistry practicals exam of 11th grade that day, I left the camera outside and hoped it would get recorded. the video was not centered but yes, it got recorded.

The butterflies pump their wings which takes 15 to 20 minutes. The fluids from their body are pumped to wings by a rhythmic movement like peristaltic movement. Normally, it hatches in the morning. After expanding its wings, the butterfly dries it in the sun until they become firm. It is absolutely beautiful to watch it hatching. After few short flights, the butterfly starts a new cycle. 

Hatching

Pumping wings

Feeding:

The Common mormon feeds on many small flowers like Ixoras and bougainvillea. The bougainvillea flowers in my balcony attract these butterflies.

                                   

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Feeding a butterfly

On 14th february, while returning from class I spotted a brown butterfly on the pavement behind the building. One of its wings was smaller than the other, so it was not able to fly for long distance. Surprisingly it was not afraid of me. It easily climbed on my palm and seemed very comfortable. So I brought it home to look at it closely.

What to feed?

Different species may need different food. For this case, I used honey and water solution in 1:7 ratio. take 1 drop of honey and mix it with 7 drops of water. Add a very tiny pinch of salt, It is not required and some species may not like it. Butterflies need minerals apart form the carbohydrates and proteins they get from the nectar. They generally gather around puddles, to absorb minerals. This is called puddling. It is a common misconception that its  proboscis is used to suck the nectar. It is actually used for absorbing the liquid, like a tissue paper.

How to feed?

To feed the honey-water solution gently place the butterfly near the liquid spread on a cloth or on a plate. If the butterfly doesn't start feeding on it, try to dip a cotton swab in the liquid and gently touch it to its proboscis. If the butterfly doesn't stretch out its proboscis then do not force it. It is maybe not hungry or feels uncomfortable or it is afraid. Be very gentle, DO NOT hold it by its wings, they are very delicate.

After feeding the butterfly, I kept it on the plants. It flew away after some time.

The butterfly feeds with the proboscis.

Notice how to handle the butterfly with hand without harming it.

Basilica orbweaver on the Gaussian distribution

The Basilica orbweavers (Mecynogea lemniscata) are a non-venomous and non-aggressive group of spiders. They are about as big as a grain of rice in the early stages. Their webs look like cotton candy. Their webs are interesting: on looking closely, you will notice that the webs are not randomly built. In the unorganized threads, there is a fine fabric in the shape of a dome. Hence, the name- 'basilica orbweaver'. 

Look closely; you will notice the shape of the web.

The bell-shaped web also resembles a three-dimensional plot of a Gaussian function. Isn't that amazing?

Bell-shaped Gaussian function

The female lays eggs in sacs that hang vertically from the web. It detaches its web in the night, which falls in the eggs and creates a protective layer.

Isn't nature both inspiring and beautiful? 

Comment what you think about the correlation with the Gaussian function.

Thank you!!

Lilly Moth

 

Lilly moths are found in south asia. They have a vibrant pattern on their wings and a fully developed proboscis. 

Scientific name: 

Polytela gloriosae

Host plant:

Rain Lilly.

Egg stage:

Lilly moth larvae, unsurprisingly,  feed on rain lillies. Rain lilies are white or yellow monocots which bloom after rains. The larva eggs are yellow in color and are layed in large numbers, usually in two long rows on the underside of the leaves. The eggs hatch in 4 days.

lilly moth eggs

Lilly moth eggs

Larva stage:

The larvae are yellow in color and have a black head when they hatch. Like most species of moths and butterflies, they eat their eggshell first. Their color changes to red, theirhead turns red too and the patterns in the body show up in a week. In later stages, the larva turn black and develop striking patterns of white and orange spots on their body.

Eggs hatching

Larvae feeding on leaves on the second day after hatching

Red larvae after 1st week

The larvae feed very quickly, munching away leaves in minutes and then spend some time resting to digest food.

Larvae in later stages

Larvae before forming cocoon

Pupal stage:

After feeding for around 10 days the the larvae form pupa in the soil. 

Larvae digging into the soil

Lilly moth Pupa

The pupa is very delicate and can get punctured easily in the initial days. It is advisable to let the pupa caterpillar for the pupa and stay in the soil for at least a week until its covering hardens.

Digging the pupa out

After removing the pupae, I made mud compartments for the pupae and placed them in a netted box.

Moth Stage:

The moth hatches in 7-8 days. the beautiful moth is active in the night. It is a visual treat!

Lilly Moth

Lilly Moth

Lilly Moth

Thank you!