Glanycus tricolor Moore
- Family: Thyrididae
- Subfamily: Thyridinae
- Genus: Glanycus
- Distribution: Hong Kong, Taiwan, Sikkim, Bangladesh, Thailand, Singapore.
- Habitat: Lowland and hill forest and open areas; <900m.
- Wing Length: 32mm
Taxonomy
The imaged specimen is from W. Malaysia, Frazer's Hill Gap. The holotype of Glanycus tricolor Moore, 1879:38 is from India (Darjeeling).
Description
This is another striking and distinctive black and red species. There is a large fenestra on the HW and a smaller one on the FW. The black body scales are tinged with metallic bluish green as are the main wing veins. Dorsally there is a red band at the base of the abdomen, another across the front of the thorax and red scale tufts at the end of the abdomen.
Life History
The larvae feed on leaves of Canthium dicoccum (Rubiaceae), Schleffera octophylla (Araliaceae), Viburnum odoratissimum (Caprifoliaceae) and Eucalyptus gunnii (Myrtaceae); (HOSTS [Accessed Nov. 2008]). The purple larva is covered with slender tubercles and lives within a folded leaf held closed by silk. When disturbed it stridulates and will discharge an offensive fluid. (RTS:125). The photograph by John Moore (Plate 10, Fig. 293a & 294a) is remarkable, showing a male Glanycus tricolor trying to mate with a female Glanycus insolitus.