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Puddling males often observed at the beginning of the rainy season
(Africa). Migrant worn specimens in Sinai and their presence in the
Levant is correlated with the arrival of weather synoptic systems: Red
Sea Trough (RST) and cross N African jet stream that may descend
to surface (Subsidence) and respectively carry the butterflies from
Sudan and Arabia (RST) or the Sub-Saharan Sahel belt countries
# © Adam Warecki ‹ 2ÀU 7RPHU
of Niger, Chad and Sudan to Sinai, S Israel and S Jordan. These
weather systems have intensified in recent decades, probably due
to climate change (Benyamini & John, 2020: 15).
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HJJ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
lar v a
21603-BRACHA-PARPAR - 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR | 11 - A | 21-12-30 | 11:34:48 | SR:-- | Magenta
%LRORJ\ pupa
21603-BRACHA-PARPAR - 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR | 11 - A | 21-12-30 | 11:34:48 | SR:-- | Yellow
#21603-BRACHA-PARPAR - 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR | 11 - A | 21-12-30 | 11:34:48 | SR:-- | Black
21603-BRACHA-PARPAR - 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR | 11 - A | 21-12-30 | 11:34:48 | SR:-- | Cyan
)OLJKW SHULRG migrating specimens may be seen between April and ‹ 2ÀU 7RPHU
September, but local offspring were observed along summers until
December, sometimes proceeding to January - March. C Israel, Park Hayarkon, 12.10.2018
© Eddie John © Eddie John © Eddie John
/LIH KLVWRU\ polyvoltine, females started to lay eggs in captivity no less
WKDQ ÀYH GD\V DIWHU KDWFKLQJ SUHIHUULQJ /+3V LQ VKDGH RU KDOI VKDGH
Walking on the host plant, drumming leaves upper surface with its
forelegs before laying a single egg at a time, up to ten eggs may be laid
on the same preferred fresh leaves at top of branches, but also at stem
bottom a few mm over the soil. On 3 September 2014 the eggs were laid
between 9:15 and 15:35+ hour (19:00 hour sunset, Levant time). The
HJJ LV D JORVV\ JUHHQ FRQH PP KLJK ZLWK ÁDW WRS DQG FD YHUWLFDO
ribs. L1 is 1.8 mm long, greenish-brown with glossy black head and four
rows of black branched spines. The eggshell is eaten before it starts to
nibble “windows” in the leaf’s surface. Consuming the base soft parts © Raed Shorrosh
of Blepharis ciliaris VSLQ\ OHDYHV ÁRZHU EXGV DQG ÁRZHUV LW JUHZ WR
mm long L5 in 17 days. In Transval, South Africa the larvae grow to 42 C Israel, Park Hayarkon, 12.10.2018 © Dubi Benyamini
mm long in up to seven instars (Van Son, 1979). The fully grown larva
LV EODFN ZLWK SXUSOH KXH FRYHUHG ZLWK ÀQH ZKLWH VSRWV VHYHQ URZV RI
black branched spines and a black hairy head spotted white with a white
triangle on its forehead and a thin orange collar behind the head. They
switched easily to 3K\OD QRGLÁRUD leaves but usually do not lay eggs on
this potential LHP in presence of Acanthaceous plants. The pendulous
(hanging) pupa is 14-15 mm long, covered with large patches of different
VKDGHV RI EURZQ DQG WZR URZV RI ÀQH EURZQ ZKLWH SURWUXVLRQV RQ LWV
back, hatches after seven – eight days.
$GXOW GHIHQFH while the upper wings black - yellow colours looks
aposematic, the grey dull wings underside are hierta’s biggest advantage
when they alight at gravelly bottom of a wadi, close their wings, lower
their forewings to reduce their silhouette becoming a “dry leaf” among
VWRQHV D SHUIHFW FDPRXÁDJH ,Q WKHLU EUHHGLQJ FDJH WKH\ URRVW DW QLJKW © Dubi Benyamini © Dubi Benyamini
LQ VPDOO JURXSV H J IRXU DGXOWV ZLWKLQ D FLUFOH RI ÀYH FP RU VL[ ZLWKLQ DQ
ellipse of 4X15 cm. An interesting night inclined posture was noted in
seven out of eleven adults with angles of 10°-70° to vertical; i.e. up
to 20° from surface – a clear defense / deception behavior (illustr. 6),
EXW DGGLWLRQDO VWXG\ LV QHFHVVDU\ WR FKHFN LWV HIÀFLHQF\ DJDLQVW SRWHQWLDO
predators.

© Raed Shorrosh Israel, Godrim Valley, 660 m, 12.5.1993
© Dubi Benyamini
5HFRUGHG KRVWSODQWV In Africa Acanthaceae - Blepharis attenuata,
Justicia natalensis, Asystasia coromandeliana, Barleria pungens, and 6 6 6 6
Chaetacanthus persoonii (Steve Collins pers. comm.). In Israel temporary
and semi-permanent colonies were using native 3K\OD QRGLÁRUD, Verbena
bonariensis (Lab.) (Verbenaceae) & Blepharis ciliaris (Acanthaceae) and
cultivated Ruellia brittoniana and Barleria obtusa (both Acanthaceae).

'LVWULEXWLRQ TL: South India. The species has a wide distribution
range in tropical and subtropical areas of the Old World: in Asia, it
reaches north to China and south to the Andaman Islands. Flies in all of
Africa S of the Sahara (except in rain forests), Arabian Peninsula, Egypt,
Sinai, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon (very rare) and Iran. Unrecorded from
7XUNH\ 6\ULD DQG &\SUXV $ VLQJOH VVS ÁLHV LQ WKH /HYDQW Junonia hierta
cebrene Trimen, 1870; TL: South Africa. © Dubi Benyamini © Leah Benyamini © Dubi Benyamini Table 1 - 23 records between 1991-2020 in Mt. Hermon

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