Cyclosia sp

[Commander]

Roger, is this Cyclosia pieridoides? Encountered this rather large female walking up and down a few dead twigs. She arched her abdomen as if to oviposit, but I found no eggs.

Interesting that when it was moving around the bushes, it held its wings outwards like a butterfly. When in flight it can easily be mistaken as a Smaller Wood Nymph (Ideopsis gaura perakana). Only thing is that species hasn't been seen in Singapore for a long long time.

Later, when I disturbed it, it closed its wings for the 2nd and 3rd shots, looking more like a moth.

The males of this species look like a cross between a Blue Glassy Tiger and a Yellow Glassy Tiger.

[atronox]

Lol, i tried googling cyclosia idaeoides-_-"

[Matthew]

wow..the wing can close n open.. O.o

[hkmoths]

Roger, is this Cyclosia pieridoides? ......When in flight it can easily be mistaken as a Smaller Wood Nymph (Ideopsis gaura perakana). Only thing is that species hasn't been seen in Singapore for a long long time.

correct i.d.
subspecies is C. p. virgo
(illustrated on p10 of Endo & Kishida, 1999. Day-Flying Moths: Chalcosiinae; Epicopeia. Endless Science Information, Tokyo.)

The two species are involved in a M?llerian mimicry complex.

cheers,

Roger.

[Commander]

Thanks, Roger.

Do you know of any field shots of the male? I saw a male lurking nearby but wasn't able to take a shot of it. Looks like a Yellow Glassy Tiger lookalike, doesn't it?

[EarlyStages]

The two species are involved in a M?llerian mimicry complex.

Moreover, this type of moth/butterfly mimicry is apparently not restricted to adults:

http://home.comcast.net/~bflyearlyst...lt-mimicry.pdf

Please send me a PM if you're interested in the Japanese-to-English translation.

Keith