Vindula arsinoe

Vindula arsinoe ada (Butler, 1874)
The Cruiser
ARGYNNINAE, NYMPHALIDAE

Don Herbison-Evans ( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley

(updated 27 August 2004)

(Specimen courtesy: Butterfly House, Coffs Harbour)

The eggs of this species are laid in a sparsely on the stem or tendril of a foodplant. They are barrel-shaped and ribbed, varying from off-white to brown. They have a height of about 1.5 mm.

(Specimen courtesy: Butterfly House, Coffs Harbour)

The Caterpillar is cylindrical, and black with white patches on the sides of each segment. It has pairs of black and white tentacles on each segment. It feeds on various Australian native Passion vines ( PASSIFLORACEAE ) including :

Hollrungia species,

Passiflora aurantia, and

Lacewing Vine ( Adenia heterophylla ).

The Caterpillar grows to a length of about 4 cms.

(Specimen courtesy: Butterfly House, Coffs Harbour)

The pupa is green or brown, with silvery spots, and has 3 pairs of wing like extensions. It hangs by a silk cremaster from a stem of the foodplant, and has a length of about 3 cms.

Male
(Photo: courtesy of Klaus Rusch)

The adult male is orange with a black pattern of lines and dots. There is a small eyespot on the rear of each hind wing. The underside is similar with white patches on the forewing.

Female
(Specimen courtesy: Butterfly House, Coffs Harbour)

The female is similar but a paler orange, and has a large black area along the margin of each fore wing containing a pattern of white spots and crescents. The butterflies have a wingspan up to 8 cms.

( Australia Post, 2004)

The species is found from New Guinea to the Solomons. The subspecies ada occurs in the tropical north-east of Australia. It is featured in the Butterfly House at Melbourne Zoo. Butterflies of this species may be purchased for release at weddings etc.