Early stage of Yellow Flat

Yellow Flat (Mooreana trichoneura trichoneura)

Butterfly Description:
Wingspan: 32-36 mm

Yellow Flat is rare in Singapore and not recorded by early author, and described as rare even in Malaysia. The adults of the species are found at one particular location at Singapore but believed to also found at the Western Catchment area.

The adult skipper preferred shady area and only venture to sunny spots for egg laying and sunbathing.


Host plant Description:
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Mallotus paniculatus (Turn-in-the-wind)

The host plant Mallotus paniculatus is shrubs and can grows up to 15 meter tall, with alternate leaves, tripli-veined. The leaf attract ants to feed on the nectary gland found at upper leaf base.

Host Plant with flower

Host plant: Mallotus paniculatus

The leaf with shelters of Yellow Flat caterpillar

Early stages Description:
Eggs of Yellow Flat are laid singly on the host plant leaf surface & concealed with hair from the female abdomen, usually not more than 1 egg found on a single leaf. Egg hatched after 5~7 days, only the top portion consumed by the caterpillar as shown below. The entire early stage from egg to adult took about 50 - 64 days to complete.

Egg of Yellow Flat (5-7 days to hatch)

Close-up view of the egg

Empty egg shell, only the top portion consumed by the larva

1st instar (5-6 days) - orange colour with reddish brown stripe at the side.

The 1st instar larva at the edge of the leaf, only slightly thicker than the leaf

2nd instar larva (5-6 days)

Leaf  shelter of the 2nd instar larva

2 views of the 3rd instar larva (6-8 days)

Early 4th instar larva (6-10 days)

Late 4th instar larva

5th instar larva in defence mode (15 days)

head view of 5th instar larva

5th instar larva

Leaf shelter of 5th instar larva with special feeding mark

Larva in pre-pupation stage (1.5 days)

Pupa of Yellow Flat

front view of the pupae

The pupae took 9 day to hatch into a beautiful Yellow Flat

References:

• The Butterflies of The Malay Peninsula, A.S. Corbet and H.M. Pendlebury, 4th Edition, Malayan Nature Society.
• The Life Histories of Asian Butterflies Vol 2, Igarashi S & Fukuda H