Record of New Larval Host Plant for Acraea terpsicore (Tawny coster)

Abstract

Acraea terpiscore L. is commonly known as the Tawny Coster butterfly, it belongs to the Nymphalidae or Brush-footed butterfly family. Its common larval hosts depend on the availability of Turnera subulata. The study has been carried from January to July 2015 in Thammampatti, Salem district in Tamilnadu. A. terpiscore larvae were found in Turnera subulata and Passiflora foetida. From this observation it is evident that host preference is prevalently exhibited in larval feeding of Tawny Coster. On the availability of T. subulata the choice of P. foetida is found meagre. The caterpillars were counted once a week in both the populations during an observation period of six months. T. subulata and P. foetida plants respectively envisaging its host preference of T. subulata over P. foetida. It is reported here for the first time as a new larval host of Tawny Coster.