Delias argenthona  | The Scarlet Jezebel
Fabricius 1793 green.png

delias-argenthona-live-picture.png
Delias argenthona argenthona
Stanthorpe (SW of Brisbane), Queensland (Australia), April 28, 2009
Photo : Marcjan

Subspecies and range of Delias argenthona : 

argenthona Fabricius 1793 - N. Australia

           form fragalactea Butler 1896

           form protocharis Boisduval 1836

           form seminigra Fruhstorfer 1910

balli Hulstaert 1923 -  Southern area of Papua and PNG, Aru island

           synonym insularis Rothschild 1925

 

 

delias-argenthona.png

 

Notes on Delias argenthona :

A very well known species whose life history has been fully described. The larval food plant is a species of Mistletoe (loranthus), and the larvae are gregarious.

The subspecies D. a. fragalactea is now only considered to be a synonym for the nominate subspecies. There is quite a difference between the summer and winter broods, and fragalactea falls within these variations, and as such can not be considered as a separate subspecies.

The form seminigra is the winter brood form and is darker than the type D.a.argenthona


Delias argenthona caterpillars :

The Scarlet Jezebel caterpillars are gregarious and feed on Misletoes. 

delias-argenthona-caterpillar.png

Delias argenthona argenthona larvae
Garradunga, North Queensland (Australia)
Photo : Jackblack

 

Delias argenthona pupae :

The pupa of Delias argenthona looks like other known Delias pupae. 

delias-argenthona-pupa.png 
Delias argenthona argenthona pupae
Picture by David Hall