Records of new larval host plants of some common butterflies of Bangladesh

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is situated in the southwestern part of Bangladesh.
During the survey period, the egg laying behavior of female butterflies on host plants and their immature stages were observed.Many of the immature stages were collected and reared indoors in plastic containers under a controlled environment.The boxes were covered with a thin cloth to allow for air movement and to protect the larvae from parasitoids.The larvae were supplied with fresh young leaves and the containers were cleaned daily.The plants were just provided with water within the glass box.No food supplement was added.The eggs and larvae were reared till pupation and to adulthood.Additionally, immature stages were also observed in the natural environment.Immature stages and adult butterflies were identified according to : Tan 2011;Saji 2016;Saji et al. 2016a,b;and Saji & Karmakar 2016.Food plants were identified by the personal communication of Mr. Tapash Bardhan and Dr. Ahsan Habib and classification following ''The Plant List'' website (http://www.theplantlist.org).
The results and discussion about the records of new larval host plants of butterflies are given below:

Papilio polytes Linnaeus, 1758 (Papilionidae)
Papilio polytes is found commonly throughout Bangladesh including urban areas.It inhabits gardens and other well-wooded areas, deciduous forests, semievergreen and evergreen forests.It is abundant in the monsoon and post-monsoon season, but is known to occur throughout the year.It occurs throughout the Oriental region (Kunte 2000;Varshney & Smetacek 2015).The caterpillars eat a wide variety of plants of many genera, but they are all either large shrubs or small trees of the family Rutaceae (Kunte 2000).Previously recorded larval host plants of this species are given in Table 1.
On 10 February 2016, a female Papilio polytes laid a single egg (Images 1 & 2) on the underside on a leaf of Clausena heptaphylla in a nursery in Islam Para, Chuadanga (23.630810 0 N & 88.845383 0 E).On 6 th April 2016, the author observed a 4 th instar larva (Images 3 & 4) feeding on the upperside on a leaf of C. heptaphylla of the same plant at the same place.The larva was collected and reared.The life cycle on C. heptaphylla is given in Images 1-7.
Clausena heptaphylla (Images 6 & 7) is a small bushy shrub growing 1-4m tall that grows in the forest and sometimes harvested in nurseries as an ornamental plant.It has been recorded as a larval host plant of Red Helen (Papilio helenus) (Mathew 2011).Although other species of the genus Clausena, viz., C. excavata and C. lansium, were recorded as larval host plants of P. polytes in Australia (http://en.butterflycorner.net/papilio-polytes), it is the first time that C. heptaphylla is recorded as a larval host plant.

Papilio demoleus Linnaeus, 1758 (Papilionidae)
Papilio demoleus is perhaps found in more diverse habitats than any other swallowtail (Kunte 2000).It is found in savannahs, fallow lands and gardens and in semi-evergreen and evergreen forests.It is found in large numbers along streams and river-banks.It occurs throughout the year, but more commonly during the monsoon and post-monsoon months.It is distributed in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar (Kehimkar 2008;Varshney & Smetacek 2015).It mainly prefers plants belonging to family Rutaceae as a larval host plant but is also known to feed on other plant families such as Rhamnaceae and Fabaceae (Kunte 2000;Kehimkar 2008).The previously recorded larval host plants of this species are given in Table 1.
On 14 April 2016, two eggs were found on the underside of a mature leaf and buds of Clausena heptaphylla at Belgachi Railgate Para, Chuadanga (23.631454 0 N & 88.849959 0 E).Another newly laid egg (Image 8) on the upperside of leaf and four 1 st instar larvae (Image 9) on young foliages were found on 18 April 2016 and a new egg were observed on the following day on the plant in the same place.On 19 May 2016, one 2 nd instar larva (Image 10) on the upperside of a mature leaf and on 21 May 2016, four 1 st instar larvae were found on leaves of the same plant (Images 6 & 7).The life cycle on Clausena heptaphylla is given in Images 8-19.
On 12 March 2016, a female was observed laying an egg (Image 21) on the young leaf of a young Ravenia spectabilis plant (Image 20) in the author's house in Belgachi Railgate Para, Chuadanga (23.631454 0 N & 88.849959 0 E).Since then the author regularly observed the plant and from 22-25 May 2016 five larvae were found on the plant.The larvae were kept on the plant in its natural condition and on 2 June 2016, only one 5 th instar larva was left on the plant.The larva successfully pupated and the adult emerged in a few days.The life cycle on Ravenia spectabilis is given in Images 21-27.

Junonia almana (Linnaeus, 1758) (Nymphalidae)
Junonia almana is a very common butterfly distributed throughout the country.It inhabits the plains and hilly forests.It is most common on the plains and in forests up to an altitude of 4,000m.The dry season form camouflages and blends very well with its surroundings when it settles among dry, fallen leaves with the underside of the wings exposed (Mathew 2011).It is distributed in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Pakistan (Kehimkar 2008).Earlier recorded larval host plants of this species are given in Table 1.
On 17 May 2016, a female was seen laying eggs (Image 28) on the underside of leaves and young stem of Hemigraphis hirta (Images 37,38 & 39) at Belgachi Railgate Para, Chuadanga (23.631471 0 N & 88.849934 0 E).Immediately, two out of five eggs with the host plant were collected and placed in a plastic pot with water.The eggs hatched after three days and took 19 days to complete their larval stage.The adults emerged 10 days after pupation.The lifecycle on Hemigraphis hirta is given in Images 28-36.

Junonia lemonias (Linnaeus, 1758) (Nymphalidae)
Junonia lemonias is a common butterfly distributed in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, western Malaysia, Philippines, India, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan (Kehimkar 2008).It is seen in gardens, besides open farmlands and forest clearings.It is on its wing throughout the year.It is found up to 2000m in the hills.(Kehimkar 2008).Previously recorded larval host plants of this species are given in Table 1.
A female was observed laying eggs on the underside of leaves of Hemigraphis hirta on 15 July 2016 at Belgachi Railgate Para, Chuadanga (23.631471 0 N & 88.849934 0 E).This time nine eggs were found and after a few minutes, the same female also laid eggs on the leaves, stem and flower buds of Ruellia prostrata (Acanthaceae).Two eggs were collected with plants from Hemigraphis hirta and reared in a plastic pot with water.Both eggs hatched after three days and pupated after 18 days.Adult emerged nine to 10 days after pupation.The lifecycle on Hemigraphis hirta is given in Images 39-42.