Swainson, 1830 subtribe iolaina riley, 1958 Iolaus pallene. Photo courtesy Jeremy Dobson

The larvae feed on the leaves or young flower-buds (of Loranthus woodfordioides), but not "as a rule" on the flowers after they have opened. "Egg. The eggs are laid on the upper- or undersides of the leaves, on the buds, stems, etc., without any apparent effort at concealment. They are yellow, circular and domed, with a complicated embossed pattern covering the surface. Diameter, about o.5 mm. Larva. The larva is very strangely formed. Green or greyish-green with a large whitish triangular spot filling up the central depression. Beginning at the anal extremity and arising from the last four segments there is a large tent-like process ending in in a curved and sharply pointed spike; following this is a deep valley, the bottom of which is only 3 mm. in total thickness. Finally the dorsum rises again to a curved knife-edged ridge extending over three quarters of the total length, and from this falling almost vertically to the head. At the highest point of this anterior dorsal ridge, the depth is 6 mm. There are apparently neither tubercles nor gland, although the carapace is more than adequate for protection against ants. Length, 15 mm. Pupa. Resembles a seed capsule of the plant. The posterior segments are contracted into a thin stalk which is fixed to a twig, and are articulated so that the head-case can be hammered against the surface of the twig when an enemy comes too close. The whole pupa is so contracted that the overall length is only 6-7 mm. The dorsum is rounded, the thorax slightly ridged, and in general the shape is semispherical and strongly reminiscent of a berry. It is green with the exception of a large sepia brown patch on the thorax. Locality. Mt. Elgon, 18 miles S.W. of Kitale, Jan., 1932, and April, 1931."

"Egg: 0.8 mm x 0.4 mm high. Laid singly, normally, but sometimes in pairs. Some eggs are covered with a yellow glutinous substance which gives the white egg a yellow appearance and is a partial protection against parasitical attack; some such eggs have, however, been found to have been parasitized. Hatching occurs after some 8 days. The discarded shell is not eaten. Larva: 1st instar 1.25 mm, growing to 2.5 mm in 5-10 days; 2nd instar growing to 3.5 mm in 4-9 days; 3rd instar growing to 5.7 mm in 5-7 days; 4th instar growing to 13-15 mm in 13-19 days. The discarded larval skin is eaten. The honey-gland and tubercles are present in the 2nd to 4th instars. Larvae in the 3rd and 4th instars resemble droppings of birds. The colour of the final-instar larva varies from pale olive-green to green, some larvae of the latter colour having dark purple blotches round the spiracles. Sometimes there are five instars, the extra instar being intermediate between the 3rd and 4th instars. There is a rotation of broods. Larvae can alter their appearance by pinching in the 8th segment and expanding the 3rd to 5th segments laterally. The skin of the final-instar larva is fluted, somewhat like that of E. aemulus (as depicted round the illustration of the tubercle) and the setae are sunken in circular depressions. Pupa: 10 mm. Attached firmly to a twig by the cremastral hooks. The main part of the pupa is generally well away from the twig and the pupa resembles a young, immature gall both in shape and colour. If close to the twig, it taps on this when disturbed. Normally the pupal state lasts for 13-14 days but, at times, up to 30 days are not uncommon; or the pupa may overwinter. Parasites: Egg. Destroyed by small Chalcids (Trichogramma sp.?), despite the glutinous coating on the egg. Larva. Killed by Braconids. Pupa. Killed by various Ichneumonids; especially by a Pimpla sp." Recorded from eggs and larvae from Port Alfred, eastern Cape Province."