Banded Angle

Banded Angle

Odontoptilum angulata angulata

( Felder & Felder ) HESPERIIDAE

Adult

Wings angular upperside pale brown. FW with 3 reddish brown bands in male and 2 white elongate spots near the apex. Female with 2 more white spots in the disc. HW covered with whitish hairs, and with 2 white bands and a reddish brown or black patch at the apex. Underside FW base whitish and outer area reddish brown. HW white with black and brown spots and grayish base. Wingspan 40-45mm.

Also known as the chestnut angle. A butterfly of hilly, jungle regions distributed throughout the peninsular India and up to 2700m in the Himalayas and hills of north-east India but rather rare in the Nilgiris. Fond of flowers, damp patches and animal droppings. Prefers shady places to sunny areas and rests on the undersurface of the leaf. Seen basking with horizontally held wings.

Larva

Spindle – like, yellowish green to dark reddish brown with a faint black dorsal line. Head chalky white with a brown anterior spot and pink posterior spots and 3 black spots in the middle. Body covered with short, thick hairs.

Feeds on Microcos paniculata and Allophylus cobbe.

Distribution

India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Malaysia and the Sundaland.