Uncommon
Male holds territories near water, resting on Origanum syriacum (Labiatae).
Size: 45-60 mm. Unmistakable with its straw basal colour and blue spots on the upperside of the hindwing. Larva is dark brown or grey with a broad dorsal stripe formed of minute white and blue spots, spines black.
Mainly Upper Egypt and the Sinai. AOO = 86 km2. EOO = 173,000 km2. 6 locations
Widespread (African tropics, Arabia, India to Thailand)
Arid wadis
Least Concern
Two generations per year.
25 records. Latest in 2001 (South Sinai)
Resident and migrant
Attributed to the Africa subspecies cebrene Trimen.
May-October
Host-plants: Acanthaceae- possibly Barleria in South East Egypt, probably Blepharis edulis in Sinai.
Junonia hierta, the yellow pansy,[2][1] is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in the Palaeotropics.[2][1] It is usually seen in open scrub and grassland habitats.
The male upper side is bright yellow. The costa of the forewing has a broad triangular jet-black projection downwards at the discocellulars, and the dorsum has a triangular projection upwards near the tornus; this black margin narrows near the middle of the termen and bears on the apex two short transverse preapical white streaks crossed by the black veins. Below these is an obscure ocellus that is sometimes absent. The anterior half and the terminal margin of the hindwing is black, and the dorsum is broadly shaded with brown while the anterior black area has a large brilliant blue spot. The cilia of both forewings and hindwings are white alternated with brown.[3]
The underside of the forewing is pale yellow. The cell is crossed by three laterally black-margined orange-yellow bars, beyond that is a short, broad, irregular jet-black oblique band from costa to base of vein 4. The hindwing is greyish yellow, and in the dry season its form is strongly irrorated (sprinkled) with dusky scales. With a prominent transverse brown discal fascia, its margins are highly sinuous. There is a brownish broad shade on the middle of the termen and some obscure lunular marks on the basal area. The antennae is pale, and the head, thorax and abdomen are dark brownish black; beneath that is a dull ochraceous white.[3]
The female is similar, although the colours are duller. The cell of the upper side forewing has a more or less complete transverse black fascia and another at the discocellulars. A blue-centered well-marked ocelli is in interspaces 2 and 5 on the disc of the forewing, and smaller ocelli in interspaces 2 and 5 on the disc of the hindwing. The forewings and hindwings have a fairly well-defined pale subterminal line, though the blue spot on the anterior black area on the hindwing is small and ill-defined; the rest is as the male. The underside is also as the male, but generally has heavier and more clearly defined markings.[3][4]
The larva has a "ground-colour dark brown or grey with a broad dorsal stripe formed of minute white and blue spots, spines black." (Davidson & Aitken)[3]
"The pupa is dull reddish, with an obtuse head in front. The thorax is dorsally convex and the abdomen has a dorsal and lateral row of small blackish points" (Moore).[3]
Caterpillar
Pupa
Mounted specimen
Underside
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Courting
This species can be found in Africa and Southeast Asia.[1]
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: Bingham, Charles Thomas (1905). Fauna of British India. Butterflies Vol. 1. pp. 360–361. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: Moore, Frederic (1899–1900). Lepidoptera Indica. Vol. IV. London: Lovell Reeve and Co. pp. 72–75. Junonia hierta, the yellow pansy, is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in the Palaeotropics. It is usually seen in open scrub and grassland habitats.
