The Fulvous Pied Flat
Pseudocoladenia dan dhyana (Fruhstorfer 1909)
A female Fulvous Pied Flat (Pseudocoladenia dan dhyana) sunbathing on a leaf.  It has a habit of returning to a few favourite perches in the late hours of the day where it stops and rests with its wings opened flat as shown.
Scientific Data and Other Important Notes
Family : Hesperiidae
SubFamily : Pyrginae
Genus : Pseudocoladenia (Shirozu & Saigusa 1962)
Common Name : The Fulvous Pied Flat 
Wingspan: 30mm
 
Host Plant:  The caterpillar of this species is believed to feed Achyranthes aspera

Similar species: Coladenia spp.
 

Fulvous Pied Flat (Female)

Fulvous Pied Flat (Male)
Status in Singapore: Rare and local in distribution.
Habitat : Found in a very restricted area within the Central Catchment Nature Reserves. 

Description :  The Fulvous Pied Flat is reddish brown above and below.  The male has two large yellow hyaline spots at the end of the forewing cell, which are conjoined to form a single outwardly deeply cleft spot.  In the female, all the spots are much smaller and the lower cell spot may be absent.  The spots in the male are yellowish, whilst those of the female are white.  The forewing has a dark submarginal fascia, and the hindwing is traversed by irregular lines composed of dark, diffuse spots. 

Habitat & habits :This species is very local and has been observed in a particular location within the Central Catchment Nature Reserves.  It makes its appearance early in the morning, often feeding on the flowers of the common Asystasia gangetica, and also in the later part of the afternoon on sunny days, where it flits from leaf to leaf to sunbathe in the late sunshine.  Even when disturbed, it tends to find a few favourite perches and returns to the same leaves again and again.   

Other Observations :  This species appears to stay in the vicinity of a small area, and is believed to be keeping close to where its host plant thrives.   

Early Stages :  The caterpillar is green, with lighter sides and a shiny black head.
 
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