14 May 2013

Random Gallery - Knight

Random Butterfly Gallery
The Knight (Lebadea martha parkeri)



Last week, we featured the underside of a male Knight on the gallery. Today, we show the upperside of a female Knight. Males have a distinct white apical area on the forewings, whereas the females do not have this characteristic. Featuring a more subdued colour, the female Knight also has the upperside of the hindwing marginal area pale violet-blue. The female Knight has a slightly weaker flight than the male, and prefers to glide gracefully amongst the shrubbery, looking for its caterpillar host plant to lay its eggs on. ButterflyCircle member Koh Cher Hern shot this pristine female Knight perched on a leaf last weekend.