Eurema alitha

Eurema alitha (C. & R. Felder, 1862)
Scalloped Grass Yellow
COLIADINAE, PIERIDAE

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

(updated 27 April 2004)

(Photo: courtesy of H. Uchida, Taipei Japanese School)

This Caterpillar is greyish-green, with a white line along each side, and transverse bands of dark spots. The Caterpillar grows to a length of about 3 cms. It is a pest in Indonesia on:

Siris ( Albizia lebbeck, MIMOSACEAE ),

but in Australia has only been found on :

Slender Sweetroot ( Glycine tabacina, FABACEAE ).

The Caterpillar leaves its foodplant, to pupate on a stem of an adjacent plant, to which it attaches itself by its tail and a girdle.

The adult butterfly on top is yellow with black borders. There is a double indentation in the border about halfway along the margin of each forewing. The adult butterfly is similar to that of Eurema hecabe, but has broader black borders to the hindwings.

The undersides are similar to the upper surfaces, except for some obscure brown markings. These markings are more evident in the dry season forms. The wingspan is about 3.5 cms.

The eggs are cream and spindle shaped, and have a length of about 1 mm. They are laid singly on leaves of a foodplant.

The species occurs as about 20 races throughout south-east Asia, from Taiwan to the Philippines, including New Guinea, and the northern half of Australia.