Butterflies and skippers of the afrotropical region

“Larva. About 1¼ inches long. Pale ochreous-brown; each segment (except head and segment next to it) banded transversely and centrally with a black streak edged on both sides with a pale-yellow streak. A lateral stripe of the same pale-yellow. Head black. Second, twelfth, and thirteenth segments each with two black spines; third and fourth segments each with two pairs of black spines; each of the remaining segments with four black spines springing from central black streak, and two lateral pale-yellow spines. On a species of Fleurya, in February and March. (Plate I fig. 2). Pupa. About ¾ inch long. Chalky-white, with a faint yellowish tinge. A series of very fine linear black markings along dorso-thoracic ridge. Antennae and wing-nervues faintly indicated by delicate linear black markings. Five rows of abdominal black spots, viz., two dorsal, two lateral, and one ventral; these markings are sometimes slightly tinged with orange, and the dorsal ones on the first three segments of the abdomen are conspicuously orange, black-edged, tubercular, and pointed. At anal extremity three looped black marks. Head very slightly bifid. Thorax prominently angulated at bases of wing-covers, and with a pair of smaller projections posteriorly. Duration of pupal state eight days. (Plate I fig. 2a). Mr. J.P. Mansel Weale, from whose drawings and notes the foregoing descriptions of the larva and pupa are drawn up, writes that in some specimens kept in a dark box all the resulting pupae were pale-ochreous, with the black and orange markings much intensified. Of seven imagines bred in 1873, Mr Weale wrote that the first, second, and sixth that came out were of the form with all the bands yellow; the fourth with yellow bands, except the subapical bar of the fore-wings, which was white; the fifth with all the bands white; and the third and seventh with brick-red bands and yellow subapical forewing bar.”

“The eggs of this species are laid in groups on the undersurface of the leaves of Pouzolzia parasitica Schweinfurt. (Urticaceae), a plant which grows on the borders of open areas of forest where there is sufficient moisture and shade. The larvae are at first olive-brown but at the second moult olive subsequently changing to olive-ochreous with, at the centre of each segment, a black vertical line outlined with ochreous and brown. A wide spiracular of ochreous runs the length of the body from the second to the penultimate segment. From this is a narrow interrupted black line; lower surface of the body, brownish olive. Head brownish black with a V-shaped central mark. Spines long and black except those on the body line, these are ochreous. Pupa: Elongate, white, or ochreous, with black lines on the wing cases and thorax, two containing chains of black marks dorso-laterally and ventrally run the length of the abdomen, each “link” with a pale yellowish or orange central spot.”

“Egg: The eggs are laid in clusters on the underside of a leaf of the food-plant. They vary slightly in size, but average 0.5 mm in diameter by 0.95 mm high, with 14 to 16 longitudinal ridges cross-braced by from 16 to 18 transverse ribs; pale watery yellow, whitening at the extremities; the top is flat. The larva hatches after 13 days. Larva: The young larvae devour the discarded shells after a rest, and after a further rest gather together and feed on the surface of the leaf; their excreta are caught up in a web and form a protective shelter. The larvae are gregarious until the penultimate instar. There are five larval instars, the development proceeding as follows: 1^st instar 1.75mm, growing to 3.5 mm in 6 days; 2^nd instar growing to 6.5 mm in 6 days; 3^rd instar growing to 11 mm in 6 days; 4^th instar growing to 16 mm in 8 days; 5^th instar growing to 29 to 33 mm in 9 days. Pupa: The pupa is secured by cremastral hooks only and hangs downwards. It is whitish with rows of black-edged salmon spots, and is 19 to 20 mm long, the female being the larger. The imago emerges after 8 to 14 days.”