208. Taraka hamada mendesia (The Forest Pierrot)

Number: 208

Family: Lycaeniidae
Sub-Family: Miletiinae

Species: Taraka hamada mendesia Fruhstorfer, 1918

Common name(s): The Forest Pierrot

Photography location: Tam Dao (Vinh Phuc Prov.)

In Vietnam, the Miletinae subfamily is represented by five genera - Allotinus, Logania, Spalgis, Miletus and Taraka. This subfamily is unique in the sense that their caterpillars are predatory or "carnivorous" (preys are mostly Homoptera: aphids, coccids, mealy bugs) whilst it is generally well-known that most butterflies caterpillars are "herbivorous".

Taraka hamada looks similar to the Common Pierrot (Castalius rosimon) at first glance but you would notice that the spotting pattern is quite different in detail. And notice the unusually fluffy legs.

Taraka hamada mendesia, Tam Dao (900m asl), bamboo forest, 16th Sept. 2016

101. Miletus sp. (Brownie sp.)

Number: 101

Family: Lycaeniidae
Sub-Family: Miletiinae

Species: Miletus sp.

Common name(s): Brownie sp.

Photography location: Tam Dao foothills (Vinh Phuc Prov.

The genus Miletus is represented in Vietnam by 6 species - malus, symethus, chinensis, archilochus, ancon and croton (Monastyrskii & Devyatkin, 2016).

Miletus sp. - impossible to clinch the identification from this shot