The butterfly was discovered in 1758. This small-sized butterfly stands out well against the background of flowers, as it has a black body and wings with scarlet spots. The antennae are thickened towards the end in a spindle shape, the forewings are elongated, and the hindwings are twice as short. The forewings are dark, with a greenish or bluish tint. There are 4 large round red spots on the wing, and at the base of the wing, there are 2 elongated spots. The hindwings are red with a black edge. The wingspan is 30–35 mm.
The butterflies fly throughout the summer, usually during the day. They are slow and clumsy. If you try to touch a tavolga butterfly sitting on a flower, it will not fly away but will immediately pretend to be dead, releasing drops of thick yellow liquid with a sharp, foul smell. The tavolga butterfly is a poisonous butterfly, containing a relatively large amount of cyanide in its body.
Butterflies are toxic to most insectivorous animals, while they themselves easily tolerate many types of poisons, including potassium cyanide and hydrocyanic acid.
This is why butterflies calmly sit on plants, warning everyone with their coloration that they are inedible, poisonous, and dangerous.
Tavolga Butterfly - Thermophila filipendulae L.
There is one generation per year. Caterpillars appear in August. They seem to hibernate in plant debris or grassy litter, finishing their feeding in spring — early summer, when they pupate in dense thin parchment cocoons, which they attach openly to the stems of plants, sometimes to tree trunks and other objects. Before pupating, the caterpillar covers the inner side of the cocoon with a toxic secretion. In July, imagos emerge from the pupae.
By the way, like all butterflies, the tavolga butterfly has its "tongue" located on its legs, meaning it recognizes the taste of plants with organs located on its legs.
Distribution: Northern Tien Shan
INSECTS OF KYRGYZSTAN
