Pale Awlet, Bibasis gomata

Pale Awlet (Hesperiidae Bibasis gomata)

Found as caterpillars on Schefflera octophylla near the Lion's Club park in Sai Kung, Hong Kong in mid November and at Braemar Hill, North Point in late November, 1998. I found other larvae and pupae near the North Point ferry in the last week of December, 1998. These pupae hatched the first week of January, 1999.

Pale Awlet, larva Pale Awlet, leaf tent
The caterpillar cleverly "scores" the top side of the leaf in two
parallel lines to enable the tough leaf to be folded over neatly;
the pocket thus formed is "spot welded" with silk.
Pale Awlet, caterpillar

The mature caterpillar was about 25 mm / 1 inch long.

The fully mature larva shrinks and compresses prior to entering the pupa stage.
Pale Awlet, pupa
The pupa with the cast off larval skin.
(I opened the "pocket" to show the pupa.)
The adult butterfly emerged in about 11 days.
Pale Awlet, butterfly
The wingspan is about 43 mm / 1.7 inches.

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This page last updated 5-Jan-1999.