Butterflies of
Thailand, Malaysia &
Borneo
Agava Skipper
Pirdana distanti
STAUDINGER, 1889
Family - HESPERIIDAE
subfamily -
HESPERIINAE
Tribe -
introduction
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habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
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Pirdana distanti
distanti,
Taman Negara,
West Malaysia |
Introduction
The genus Pirdana is endemic to the
Oriental region and comprises of 4 known species,
albicornis,
hyela, distanti and
fusca, the last of these being
discovered as recently as 1983.
All Pirdana species have dark
uppersides with a metallic bluish-green sheen, and golden-yellow
scales around the tornus on the hindwings. Additionally they all
have deep ruby eyes.
The commonest and most widespread species is
hyela which is found from Myanmar
to Sulawesi. P. albicornis is
endemic to Borneo, and fusca is
endemic to Samar in the Philippines.
Pirdana
distanti
is found in West Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo.
Habitats
This is a very rare species which is confined to primary
rainforest at altitudes between about 100-300 metres. The
individual depicted above was photographed in dark swampy forest
near Kuala Tahan in Taman Negara national park.
Lifecycle
The only details I have of the early stages are that the larva
is "green with black markings" and feeds on
Dracaena and
Cordyline ( Agavaceae ).
Adult behaviour
The butterflies are probably mainly crepuscular in habit. The
butterfly depicted was disturbed from rest in the late
afternoon. It had a rapid whirring flight and was very alert and
difficult to approach - while attempting to follow it I managed
to trip over a tree root, slide down a slope into a muddy pool,
and gather a few cuts and bruises, losing sight of the butterfly
on several occasions !
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