Methodol ogy:
The present study was carried out at Visakhapatnam during the calendar year 2009. Vi s a k h a p a t n a m ( 1 7 o 4 2 ' N l a t i t u d e a n d 8 2 1 8 ' E longitude) is located on the east coast of India in the State of Andhra Pradesh. The reproductive activity of the Common Leopard butterfly, Phalanta phalanthawas
observed regularly during 0800 to 1500 h at two sites viz. Andhra University campus and the Zoo Park area, 5 km away from the campus. Once adult butterflies were located detailed observations were made in order to observe the period of copulation and oviposition. After detecting ovipositions, the leaf with eggs was collected in Petri dishes (15 cm × 2.5 cm depth) and brought to the laboratory. The leaf piece with eggs was then placed in a smaller Petri dish (10 cm × 1.5 cm depth), that was lined with moistened blotter to prevent leaf drying. Such Petri dishes were kept in a clean, roomy cage fitted with wire gauge. Since ants were never detected, no special protection device was tried to avoid predation of eggs. They were examined regularly at 6 h interval for recording the time of hatching. Each of the freshly emerged larvae was transferred to a clean Petri dish lined with moistened blotter with the help of a camel hairbrush. The larvae were supplied daily with weighed quantity of tender leaf pieces of the host plant. The faeces and the leftover of the food was collected and weighed each day (24 h). The growing larvae were observed regularly to note the change of instar, and characters including length, breadth and weight measurements. Larval performance in terms of food utilization indices were calculated as described by Waldbauer (32).
Five replications were maintained for the study of all parameters. Fresh weight measurements were used for the purpose. The development of pupa from full grown larva andparticulars of pupa including color, shape, size, weight and the time of adult eclosion were also recorded. Millimetre graph paper was used for taking measurements. The laboratory temperature was 28 ± 20 C and relative humidity 80 ± 10% with normal indirect sunlight conditions that varied in duration between 12 h during November/ January and 14 h during June/July.
In describing the details of adult characters, the butterflies that have emerged from the pupae in the laboratory, and those caught in the wild were used.