The scientific name *Mycalesis gotama* Moore belongs to the order Lepidoptera and family Lycaenidae. Commonly known as the yellow-brown snake butterfly, sun and moon butterfly, snake eye butterfly, or short-horned eye butterfly, this species is widely distributed in the southern regions of Henan, Shaanxi, Sichuan, and Yunnan provinces.
This butterfly primarily feeds on rice, white rice, sugarcane, and bamboo. The larvae cause damage by feeding along the edges of leaves, creating irregular notches that can significantly affect the growth and development of these crops.
The adult has a body length of approximately 16.5 mm, with a wingspan ranging from 41 to 52 mm. The wings are dark brown with a grayish-yellow back. On both the front and hind wings, there are three and six spots respectively, each consisting of a large and small black "snake-eye" pattern. The smaller spot appears before the larger one on the front wing, while the hind wing features two groups of three snake-eye spots. The eggs are oval-shaped, measuring about 0.8–0.9 mm, with a beige color and fine mesh-like patterns on the surface. They turn brown just before hatching. Newly hatched larvae are pale white, around 2–3 mm long, and grow up to 32 mm when fully mature. Mature larvae are green, spindle-shaped, with a pair of horn-like projections on the head and a tail-like structure at the end of the abdomen. The cocoon is approximately 15 mm long, greenish, and slightly grayish-brown, with an arched abdomen.
The life cycle of *Mycalesis gotama* varies depending on the region. In Zhejiang and Fujian, it completes 4–5 generations per year, while in southern China, it may have 5–6 generations. The species exhibits overlapping generations, with pupae or last-instar larvae overwintering in rice fields, riverbanks, ditches, and mountain weeds. Adults typically emerge between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m., flying around flowers or bamboo groves during the day and resting in vegetation at night. After 5–10 days of feeding on nectar, females lay eggs on the underside or surface of leaves. Each female can lay between 96 and 166 eggs within 30 days. Newly hatched larvae first consume the eggshell before feeding on leaf edges. By the third instar, their food intake increases significantly. Mature larvae remain inactive for 1–3 days before spinning silk and attaching themselves to the underside of leaves. Natural predators include velvet bees, broad-legged bees, and falcons.
To manage this pest, farmers can use methods such as manually collecting and killing larvae, shaking them off plants, or using ducks for biological control. Spraying should be done during the peak of the second instar stage, and effective insecticides can be found in products containing *Phyllostachys philoxeroides* or similar compounds. Early intervention is key to preventing widespread crop damage and maintaining healthy plant growth.
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