Palm butterfly?

[Roger C. KENDRICK]

Hi again Neil,

Finally, the Hong Kong butterfly species that feed on palms:

(Data on hostplants for Lau, 1997; geographic data from Bascombe, 1995)

Suastes gremius (Fabricius, 1798) [Hesperiidae; Hesperiinae] - (Indian)
Palm Bob
f/p: Phoenix hanceana (Spiny Date-palm)
    P. roehelenii (Dwarf Date-palm)
    Rhapis excelsa (Lady Palm)
distribution: Sri Lanka and India, Burma, Thailand, China (Yunnan,
Hainan, Guangdong, Fujian Provinces and Taiwan), south to Indo-China and
Malay peninsula; also Sumba and Flores (Indonesia).

Hyarotis adrastus (Stoll, 1780) [Hesperiidae; Hesperiinae] - Tree
Flitter
f/p: Phoenix roehelenii (Dwarf Date-palm)
    Chrysalidocarpus lutescens (Bamboo Palm)
    Calamus tetradactylus
distribution: Sri Lanka and India, Burma, Thailand, China (Hainan &
Guangdong) south through Philippines and Malay peninsula to Sumatra,
Java and Borneo.

Also mentioned in Bascombe is:
Elymnias hypermnestra (Linnaeus, 1763) [Nymphalidae; Satyrinae,
Elymniini] - Common Palmfly
with a note adding "First taken by the author in July 1983 in the
northern New Territories, it has since become common throughout Hong
Kong. Early specimens were found in the vicinity of nurseries,
suggesting accidental import on palms, the larval foodplants."
distribution: Sri Lanka and India, east to China (south Yunnan, Guangxi,
Guangdong, Hubei, Fujian, Hainan and Taiwan) south through Indo-China
and Malay peninsula to Sumatra, Java, Borneo and Lesser Sundas to Timor
and Wetar.

I guess you should have a few to use now - species from at least four
continents!

best regards,

Roger.

references:

Bascombe, M.J., 1995. Check list of the butterflies of South China.
Memoirs of the Hong Kong Natural History Society, 20: 1-205.
Lau, P. 1997. Butterflies of Hong Kong. Paul Lau Photography, Hong Kong.

Neil Jones wrote:

> I am searching for a lepidopterous name associated with palm trees.
> Specifically I am looking for the scientific name of a butterfly
> which  has the word palm in its common English name. I cannot
> think of one. Can anyone help me?
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