Tso Kung Tam Outdoor Recreation Centre – Eco-trail

Spot 7 – Microcos and Butterfly

Introduction

Skippers belong to butterflies, but they resemble moths and therefore often be mis- identified. Skippers’ eggs are comparatively large. Each female skipper only lays small amount of eggs, but skipper larvae have good survival skills. They have various ways to avoid enemies. Microcos is the larval host plant of the Chestnut Angle. Egg surface of Chestnut Angle is completely covered by hairs, and it becomes difficult to be found by enemies. Larvae of chestnut Angle construct leaf shelter. In daytime, the larva hides in the leaf shelter for rest, and only come out for food in the nighttime. There are small holes on the leaf shelter, for ventilation. As the larva grows, it would make a larger new leaf shelter and abandons the old one. Mature larva would finally pupate inside the leaf shelter.

Photos

Egg of Chestnut Angle	Leaf shelter of Chestnut Angle
Chestnut Angle adult	Microcos

Information and photos are provided by Ho Koon Nature Education cum Astronomical Centre

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