Malayan eggfly
With a wingspan of up to about 75 mm, this butterfly mimics the pattern of toxic Euploea crow butterflies that share its forest habitat.
| Where | Lowland forest edges and wastelands |
|---|---|
| Size | 65 to 75 mm wingspan |
| When | November to August |
The Malayan eggfly is dark brown above with variable white markings; the common form lacks a pale band on the hindwing, a rarer form shows a diffuse white band, and some individuals show a blue gloss on the forewing.
Caterpillars are gregarious and feed together on Australian mulberry leaves, often stripping one plant before the group moves to the next, and adults fly through lowland forest, wasteland and hill parks across Southeast Asia.
Traits
Habitat
Woodland
Colour
Brown, White, Blue
Active
Day
To people
Not known to bother people; adults visit flowers and damp ground rather than approaching humans.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
Males are jet black with three large white spots fringed in violet blue, quite unlike the male Malayan eggfly, which is dark brown with at most a blue gloss and no bold white spots.
Questions
Is the Malayan eggfly dangerous to people?
Not known to bother people; adults visit flowers and damp ground rather than approaching humans.
When can you see the Malayan eggfly?
The Malayan eggfly can be seen from November to August, by day.
Plate retouched from a museum specimen photo by Lauren Timms, Museums Victoria, CC0, GBIF Licence
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Butterflies and moths›Brush-footed butterflies›Hypolimnas
Last updated 2026-09-27. Every entry is checked against published sources.