Butterfly: Stichophthalma howqua formosana 箭環蝶

After I compared several pictures, I guessed that this large butterfly is Stichophthalma howqua formosana, a subspecies of Stichophthalma howqua. I saw it in Sanyi Township, Taiwan. I was sitting on the side of the road admiring this oversized butterfly. When suddenly it stuck to my feet, I was scared to death and was afraid it would bite me. Looking back on it now, I feel really funny. Stichophthalma howqua is a species of butterfly in genus Stichophthalma. It was described by John O. Westwood in 1851, and its subspecies can be found in Southeast Asia and China. Stichophthalma howqua formosana has a series of orange circular spots on the ventral surface of the wings from the outer edge to the subouter edge, with white centers and three blackish-brown longitudinal bands inside the wings. Adult butterflies appear from April to October and are active in forest edges, forests, and bamboo forests. It flies gracefully and slowly but alert. It is good at sucking rotten fruit and tree sap. Host plants include Rotang Palm (Arecaceae family), Chinese silver grass (Poaceae family) and certain bamboo plants.
我比較一些圖片後,我猜想這大蝴蝶是箭環蝶。在臺灣三義鄉看到的。我坐在路旁正在欣賞這隻超大的蝴蝶,突然牠巴著我的腳不放,膽小的我嚇死了,怕牠咬我,現在回想起來,真覺得自己很好笑。箭環蝶是箭環蝶屬的一種蝴蝶。又名環蝶, 環紋蝶。大型環蝶。它於 1851 年由 John O. Westwood 描述介绍,它的亞種分佈於東南亞和中國。箭環蝶的翅腹面從外緣至亞外緣有一列橙色圓斑,中心白色,翅膀內有3條黑褐色縱帶。成蝶出現於 4 – 10 月,於林緣、林間、竹林內活動。成蝶飛翔優雅緩慢但警覺性高,好吸食腐果、樹液等。寄主植物包括了棕櫚科黃藤、禾本科芒草及某些竹類植物。

Photo Date: 2022.07.27 Location: Miaoli, Taiwan

Notes 筆記

  • Stichophthalma howqua is a species of butterfly in genus Stichophthalma. It was described by John O. Westwood in 1851, and its subspecies can be found in Southeast Asia, Northern Indochina, China and Taiwan.
  • Stichophthalma howqua formosana has a series of orange circular spots on the ventral surface of the wings from the outer edge to the subouter edge, with white centers and three blackish-brown longitudinal bands inside the wings.
  • Distributed in low-altitude mountainous areas, inhabits evergreen broad-leaved forests. Adult butterflies appear from April to October. Adult butterflies are active in forest edges, forests, and bamboo forests. It flies gracefully and slowly but alert. It is good at sucking rotten fruit and tree sap.
  • Host plants include Rotang Palm (Arecaceae family), Chinese silver grass (Poaceae family) and certain bamboo plants.
  • 箭環蝶是箭環蝶屬的一種蝴蝶。又名環蝶, 環紋蝶。大型環蝶。它於 1851 年由 John O. Westwood 描述介绍,它的亞種分佈於東南亞和中國。
  • 箭環蝶的翅腹面從外緣至亞外緣有一列橙色圓斑,中心白色,翅膀內有3條黑褐色縱帶。
  • 分布於低海拔山區,棲息在常綠闊葉林。一年一代。成蝶出現於 4 – 10 月。成蝶於林緣、林間、竹林內活動。成蝶飛翔優雅緩慢但警覺性高,好吸食腐果、樹液等。
  • 寄主植物包括了棕櫚科黃藤、禾本科芒草及某些竹類植物。

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