Butterflies of
Thailand, Malaysia &
Borneo
Velvet Bob
Koruthaialos
rubecula
PLÖTZ, 1882
Family - HESPERIIDAE
subfamily -
HESPERIINAE
Tribe -
introduction
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habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
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Koruthaialos rubecula
rubecula,
Ulu Gerok,
West Malaysia |
Introduction
The genus
Koruthaialos comprises of 4 species, all of which are endemic to the Oriental region.
In West Malaysia there are 2 species -
rubecula and sindu. In
sindu the orange band extends as far as the leading edge
of the forewings.
Koruthaialos rubecula is found in
Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, the Philippines,
and south through the Malay archipelago to Sumatra, Borneo,
Sulawesi and Bali.
Habitats
This is a common species found in disturbed forested habitats
including roadsides, quarries, parks, gardens and forest glades,
at elevations between sea level and about 500 metres. It often
shares its habitats with K. sindu,
which is the more abundant of the 2 species.
Lifecycle
The early stages of all Koruthaialos
species appear to be unrecorded. It is almost certain, based on
related genera, that the eggs will be dome-shaped and laid
singly on grasses. It is also fairly safe to assume that the
larva will be green, and will have thin dark lines along it's
back and sides. As with other Hesperiines it will feed
nocturnally, and spend it's days hidden inside a shelter which
has been constructed by rolling a grass blade into a tube, held
together with strands of silk. The pupa will be formed within a
similar construction.
Adult behaviour
Unusually for a
Hesperiine, the adults commonly bask with the wings almost fully
open, although they also adopt the more usual position in which
the forewings are held at a 45° angle, and the hindwings held
flat.
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