Acraea terpsicore

The beautiful butterfly Acraea terpsicore or also known as "painted acraea" is a species of butterfly that attracts the attention of many nature observers and entomologists. This beautiful butterfly comes from the Nymphalidae family which has a wide distribution in the tropical regions of Asia and Africa. With its amazing colors and wing patterns, Acraea terpsicore is able to captivate anyone who sees it. This butterfly plays a very important role in the ecosystem as a pollinator.

Physically, Acraea terpsicore has a medium size with a wingspan of around 55 millimeters, the front wings are golden yellow with black markings which form a pattern that resembles a painting, while the hind wings have an orange base color with black stripes which is very distinctive and makes it a butterfly. This is easy to recognize, this combination of beautiful colors and striking patterns is not only beautiful to look at but also serves to avoid predators, the bright color signals to enemies that this butterfly is poisonous or not good to eat.

Acraea terpsicore has an interesting life cycle, as larvae, they are usually found eating plants from the passifloraceae family which are also known as wild passion fruit plants, these wild plants contain chemical compounds that can provide protection for the larvae from predators, by using the leaves of these plants the larvae Acraea terpsicore develops the ability to absorb toxic compounds contained in these plants, which then automatically makes them less attractive in the eyes of predators, and this is very beneficial for Acraea terpsicore larvae because they will survive being targeted by predators in the wild.

The metamorphosis process of Acraea terpsicore begins with eggs laid by the female on the leaves of its host plant, then after hatching the larvae begin to eat the leaves and grow rapidly, after going through several instar stages, the larvae will turn into pupae and then turn into adult butterflies. This metamorphosis process shows how adaptation and evolution work well in forming species that are able to survive in various environments.