The Malay Lacewing is a very pretty butterfly. It is bright orange-red above with broad black borders. The wings are scalloped, giving the hindwings an almost sawtooth-like appearance. The undersides are orange-red with white fasciae and are spotted with black forming an intricate pattern which probably gives the origin of its name "Lacewing".
The butterfly is quite common in the nature reserves and can be found fluttering around flowering bushes like Prickly Lantana (Lantana camara) and the Snakeweed (Stachytarpheta indica) as shown in the photos.
The wine red caterpillar has long spines and is known to feed on Passion Fruit vine (Adenia spp.)
Cethosia hypsea, the Malay lacewing, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in from Burma to Indonesia and the Philippines.
The wingspan is about 80 mm.Adults are bright orange red above with broad black borders, warning predators of their toxicity. The underside is orange red with white fasciae and is spotted with black. The wings are scalloped.
The larvae feed on Adenia species. They are wine red and have long spines. They are also poisonous.
