Zizeeria karsandra (Moore, 1865)


Zizeeria karsandra: Male (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, Akrotiri, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Zizeeria karsandra: Male (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, Akrotiri, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Zizeeria karsandra: Male (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, Akrotiri, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Zizeeria karsandra: Male (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, Akrotiri, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Zizeeria karsandra: Male (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, Akrotiri, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Zizeeria karsandra: Male (Cyprus, Akrotiri, early November 2016) [N] Zizeeria karsandra: Adult (Cyprus, Akrotiri, early November 2016) [N] Zizeeria karsandra: Female (Cyprus, Akrotiri, early November 2016) [N] Zizeeria karsandra: Female (Cyprus, Akrotiri, early November 2016) [N] Zizeeria karsandra: Female (Cyprus, Akrotiri, early November 2016) [N] Zizeeria karsandra: Female (Cyprus, Akrotiri, early November 2016) [N] Zizeeria karsandra: Female (Cyprus, Akrotiri, early November 2016) [N] Zizeeria karsandra: Female (Cyprus, Akrotiri, early November 2016) [N] Zizeeria karsandra: Oviposition (Cyprus, Akrotiri, early November 2016) [N] Zizeeria karsandra: Oviposition (Cyprus, Akrotiri, early November 2016) [N] Zizeeria karsandra: Oviposition (Cyprus, Akrotiri, early November 2016) [N] Zizeeria karsandra: Two Eggs on Polygonum equisetiforme, one of which in typical position in a young flower (Akrotiri, Cyprus, early November 2016) [M] Zizeeria karsandra: Egg on Polygonum equisetiforme (Akrotiri, Cyprus, early November 2016) [M] Zizeeria karsandra: Young larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, Akrotiri, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Zizeeria karsandra: Half-grown larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, Akrotiri, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Zizeeria karsandra: Half-grown larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, Akrotiri, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Zizeeria karsandra: Half-grown larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, Akrotiri, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Zizeeria karsandra: Half-grown larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, Akrotiri, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Zizeeria karsandra: Larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, Akrotiri, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Zizeeria karsandra: Larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, Akrotiri, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Zizeeria karsandra: Larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, Akrotiri, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Zizeeria karsandra: Larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, Akrotiri, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Zizeeria karsandra: Larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, Akrotiri, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Zizeeria karsandra: Larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, Akrotiri, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Zizeeria karsandra: Larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, Akrotiri, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Zizeeria karsandra: Larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, Akrotiri, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Zizeeria karsandra: Larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, Akrotiri, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Zizeeria karsandra: Larva on Polygonum equisetiforme (Cyprus, Akrotiri, early November 2016) [M] Zizeeria karsandra: Larva on Polygonum equisetiforme (Cyprus, Akrotiri, early November 2016) [M] Zizeeria karsandra: Larva on Polygonum equisetiforme (Cyprus, Akrotiri, early November 2016) [S] Zizeeria karsandra: Larva on Polygonum equisetiforme (Cyprus, Akrotiri, early November 2016) [S] Zizeeria karsandra: Larva on Polygonum equisetiforme (Cyprus, Akrotiri, early November 2016) [S] Zizeeria karsandra: Larva on Polygonum equisetiforme (Cyprus, Akrotiri, early November 2016) [S] Zizeeria karsandra: Pupa (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, Akrotiri, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Zizeeria karsandra: Pupa (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, Akrotiri, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Zizeeria karsandra: Pupa (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, Akrotiri, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Zizeeria karsandra: Pupa (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, Akrotiri, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Zizeeria karsandra: Pupa (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, Akrotiri, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Zizeeria karsandra: Larval host plant Polygonum equisetiforme (Cyprus, Akrotiri, early November 2016) [N] Zizeeria karsandra: Larval host plant Polygonum equisetiforme (Cyprus, Akrotiri, early November 2016) [N] Zizeeria karsandra: Larval habitat with host plant Polygonum equisetiforme (Cyprus, Akrotiri, early November 2016) [N] Zizeeria karsandra: Larval habitat with host plant Polygonum equisetiforme (Cyprus, Akrotiri, early November 2016) [N] Zizeeria karsandra: Larval habitat with host plant Polygonum equisetiforme (Cyprus, Akrotiri, early November 2016) [N]

Host plants:
The larvae feed on Polygonaceae and Amaranthaceae. The regional usage of other plant families is quite probable. On Cyprus I recorded many ovipositions and also larvae on Polygonum equisetiforme. Rearing succeeded with Polygonum aviculare.

Habitat:
Zizeeria karsandra inhabits various types of habitat in more open landscapes, e.g. wetlands, extensively managed fields, human settlements, pastures etc.

Life cycle:
The butterflies occur year-round in subtropical and tropical climates. At the few European sites there is often a relative break between December and February. The adults often feed on flowers, on Cyprus especially those of the larval host plant Polygonum equisetiforme.

Remarks:
Zizeeria karsandra is widespread from N-Africa to India and SE-Asia. It is also known from North and East Australia. The butterfly is also found in Cyprus and the island of Crete (Greece), allegedly also locally in Malta and Sicily.



Zizeeria knysna