Life history and larval performance of the Joker butterfly, Byblia ilithyia (Lep.: Nymphalidae)

We describe, for the first time, the life history of the Joker butterfly, Byblia ilithyia Drury and larval performance in terms of food consumption and utilization, and the length of life cycle on its host plant Tragia plukenetii A. R. Smith. Our study was conducted throughout 2007 in the Andhra University campus and the Zoo Park area, 5 km away from the campus, at Visakhapatnam (17° 42' N and 82° 18' E), South India. Byblia ilithyia completes its life cycle in 19.20 ± 1.30 days (eggs 3, larvae, 9-12, pupa 5-6 days). The values of nutritional indices across the instars were AD (Approximate Digestibility) 55.77-94.98%; ECD (Efficiency of Conversion of Digested food) 1.93-25.26; ECI (Efficiency of Conversion of Ingested food) 1.83-14.09, measured at the temperature of 28 ± 2 °C and RH of 80 ± 10% in the laboratory. These relatively high values, at least partially explain ecological success of B. ilithyia in the urban environment.