Behaviour of Malayan Eggfly

[Common Mime]

This is not the first time I witness a female Malayan Eggfly "guarding" the eggs but did not know that she actually stays there even the eggs are hatched into larva. Have anyone encountered this behaviour for a butterfly before? Or I am the only one that do not know?

#1. Check the abdomen of this mother, very big and make her very difficult to fly . Finally settle down underneath a leaf of the host plant but not yet laying egg. Would love to witness the egg laying process in future, if time permits.

#2. Mother "guarding" the larvas.

#3. Closeup on the larvas. These larvas are not newly hatched, perhaps in the late 1st instar or 2nd instar rather.

[Common Mime]

Following photos are yet to confirm to be the larva of the Malayan Eggfly but I do believe that they are and soon, I shall be able to confirm this.

#4. The shed skins

#5. The larva

#6 & #7. Closeup for the side view.

#8. Head shot.

[Sky Blue]

read it somewhere they certain species showing the "guarding" behavior, someone actually found a mum standing there until die...

Following photos are yet to confirm to be the larva of the Malayan Eggfly but I do believe that they are and soon, I shall be able to confirm this. .

wait for yr good news

[Common Mime]

More photos of the Eggfly.

My hair all stand when I see the larva all over the place. On the plants, on the ground,...etc

My own conclusion about this Malayan Eggffly is that the mortality rate of the larvas is pretty high. They can't grip well onto the leaf or branches therefore one heavy rain could have wiped the whole family off since their host plant cannot be found at the ground level. Also, they could get parasited pretty easy I believe.

I stood there for about ten minutes, I saw many cats committing suicide, jumping down (fell). Besides that, they might eat to death before they manage to pupate at the nearby bushes. Too bad, I couldn't find a single pupa of it .

1st photo shown the 2nd instar larvas. 2nd photo shown the 3rd instar larva (spikes turn orange but the head capsule still in dark brown color).
4th, 5th, & 6th photos showing the cats fall all over the place. On other plants, ground, and the last photo on the Common Asystasia.

[Common Mime]

#1. Get parasited or what?

#2. Closer look at the 3rd instar larva

[Common Mime]

Confirmed the host plant for Malayan Eggfly and Ancyra Blue is Pipturus argenteus from the Urticaceae family.

http://www.brisrain.webcentral.com.a..._argenteus.htm

#1. Both side of the dried leaf
#2. The fresh leaves
#3. The seeds of the Pipturus argenteus
#4. The flower of the Pipturus argenteus

[Peacock Royal]

Well done, good info. Very soon you will be an expert in iding the host plants as well.

[Sky Blue]

well done CM
need to take note that the Ancyra Blue are feed on the flower.

[Sky Blue]

Btw, this is also the recorded host plant for Malayan Eggfly in Philippines as well

I also combined yr observation of eggs guarding behaviour together with the finding of the author of butt of HK into the chklist

[Common Mime]

This is the pupa of Malayan Eggfly shot by Ortega at CS.

http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=176026

I have one too but not as good, hence pointing you guys to see his first until I got a better shot then I post mine. When the cat is going to pupate, it will look for another plant other than it's host plant, I am thinking may be it is because of its host plant is too soft or dry out very fast or will be eaten very soon by its siblings. Hence, safer to pupate elsewhere.

Soon, I will be able to confirm the cat is belongs to Malayan Eggfly or Great Eggfly