Tropical Fritillary
Argynnis hyperbius
Also known as: Indian Fritillary · Laced Fritillary
Insecta
UNCOMMON
Stats
- Lifespan
- A few weeks
- Size
- Medium
- Diet
- Nectarivore
- Activity
- Diurnal
- Social
- Solitary
- Biome
- Tropical grassland
- Range
- South and Southeast Asia
- Movement
- Flight
- Breeding
- Egg-laying
- Defense
- Warning colors
- Status
- Uncommon
About
A large, strikingly orange fritillary widespread across South and East Asia, with females showing a bold black-and-white forewing tip that mimics the toxic crow butterflies they fly alongside. Males instead keep the bright orange-and-black leopard-spot pattern typical of the genus across both wings.
Life cycle
- 1.eggA tiny ribbed egg laid on the underside of a host-plant leaf, hatching within days.
- 2.caterpillarA voracious caterpillar feeds and molts through several instars, growing rapidly.
- 3.chrysalisA chrysalis hangs sealed and still while the body remodels into a winged adult.
- 4.butterflyA winged adult with full scales and coloration, ready to fly and mate.
Learn more
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Nymphalidae
- Genus
- Argynnis
- Species
- Argynnis hyperbius