Hypolimnas bolina (Common Eggfly, Große Eierfliege)

Hypolimnas bolina also called Common Eggfly or Great Eggfly is a common butterfly from Australasia / Indomalaya ecozone (Australia). The first description was in 1758 by Linnaeus. With a wingspan of 8.0 – 9.0 cm the Common Eggfly is a small member of the family NYMPHALIDAE. The butterfly is black with white, orange and blue spots. The Common Eggfly is a good example for sexual dimorphism.

Photos for easy identification

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

These are nice photos of Hypolimnas bolina (Große Eierfliege, Great Eggfly) female. Hypolimnas bolina is a member of the family NYMPHALIDAE from Australasia / Indomalaya ecozone (Australia).

Description

The forewings are black. At the margin there are two chains of tiny white spots. There is a white spot at the pinion. In the middle of wing there are some white spots. In back there is a orange area.
The underside is a copy from upside, but the ground is brown.

The hind wings are black and have no tails. The margin is ridged. In the middle of wing there is a whitish area.
The underside is brown. At the margin there are three chains of white spots. There is a whitish band crossing wing.

The body is black.

Sex differences: The male has two white spots at forewings. One of them is bordered to iridescent blue. In the middle of hind wings there is a big white spot. Around this spot there is an iridescent blue.

Distribution

The Common Eggfly (Hypolimnas bolina) is a butterfly of the Afrotropic (Africa) and Australasia / Indomalaya ecozone (Australia). The distribution extend from whole Australia to India and enfolded Yemen, Oman and Madagascar.

: This world map shows the ecozones in which this butterfly is distributed.

Larval food

Acanthaceae, Colvolvulaceae, Malvaceae, Urticaceae

General information

The first description of this butterfly was in 1758 by Linnaeus. There are some subspecies.

Hypolimnas bolina nerina [Fabricius, 1775]
Hypolimnas bolina montrouzieri [Butler]
Hypolimnas bolina pulchra [Butler]
Hypolimnas bolina pallescens [Butler]
Hypolimnas bolina lisianassa [Cramer]
Hypolimnas bolina jacintha [Drury, 1773]
Hypolimnas bolina kezia [Butler]

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer; 28.06.2006, La Serre aux Papillon, Paris

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer; 14.05.2006, Butterflyhous, Vienna

Here you can see the male of Common Eggfly (Hypolimnas bolina).

Protection provisions / Red List

CITES: (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora):

-no entry- (as at 23.06.2005)
EU regulation on trading with species of wild Fauna and Flora

-no entry- (as at 19.08.2005)
IUCN Red List of threatened species:

-no entry- (as at 2004) (see: www.redlist.org/)