Vanessa indica
Indian Red Admiral ( Vanessa indica)
The Indian Red Admiral ( Vanessa indica) is a butterfly ( butterfly ) of the genus Vanessa in the family Nymphalidae ( Nymphalidae ).
- 6.1 Literature
Description
The moths reach a wingspan of 50 to 60 millimeters. The forewings have a black distal region with white spots. This is followed by approximately in the middle of a crooked extending red ribbon, which has black spots. Basal of the wings is brown. The hind wings are mostly brown with a red border zone. In the marginal zone black dots are embedded. The posterior margin of the hind wings are slightly sinuate.
Similar Species
- Red Admiral (Vanessa vulcania )
The differences of the Indian admiral to Canary Admiral are very low, therefore the latter is regarded by some authors only as a subspecies of the Indian admiral. The distal white stain is dissolved in V. indica in a row of dots. The more proximal white spots are slightly larger in the Indian admiral. The red band is slightly narrower. On the hind wings the black spots are a little stronger in the red zone.
- Admiral (Vanessa atalanta ),
Good distinguishable from the Indian Admiral is the " ordinary " Admiral, whose black zone of the fore wings is much larger. The white spots in it are also significantly greater. For this is the red band considerably narrower and without black spots.
Dissemination
The species is widely distributed in Southeast Asia from India to China and Japan, in the south to Thailand. In the summer, the butterflies migrate z.T. far to the north into southern Siberia. On the Russian Pacific coast moths were found to Kamchatka Peninsula.
Way of life
The caterpillars feed on Urtica thunbergiana, Himalayan Nettle ( Girardinia heterophylla ), Boehmeria densiflora and ramie ( Boehmeria nivea ). Pupation they spin their food plant leaves to a bag together
Flight Times
The moth flies throughout the year continuously in successive generations.
Taxonomic status
The species is usually divided into three subspecies: V. indica indica, V. indica Pholoe and V. indica nubicola. Some authors consider the Canary Red Admiral ( Vanessa vulcania ) only as a subspecies of the Indian admiral.