Galgula partita Guenée, 1852


Galgula partita: Female (Madeira, Ribeira de Sao Jorge near Santana, March 2013) [N] Galgula partita: Female (Madeira, Ribeira de Sao Jorge near Santana, March 2013) [N] Galgula partita: Female (Madeira, Ribeira de Sao Jorge near Santana, March 2013) [N] Galgula partita: Female (e.o. Madeira 2013) [S] Galgula partita: Female (e.o. Madeira 2013) [S] Galgula partita: Male (lighter in colour than females, e.o. Madeira 2013) [S] Galgula partita: Male (lighter in colour than females, e.o. Madeira 2013) [S] Galgula partita: Egg (Madeira, Santana, March 2013) [M] Galgula partita: Egg (Madeira, Santana, March 2013) [S] Galgula partita: Eggs prior to hatching (e.o. Madeira, March 2013) [S] Galgula partita: L1-larva (e.o. Madeira 2013) [S] Galgula partita: L1-larvae (e.o. Madeira 2013). In breeding, they tend to gather together, but rather not in the field as oviposition has been observed singly. Galgula partita: L1-larva after feeding (e.o. Madeira 2013) [S] Galgula partita: Young larva (e.o. Madeira 2013) [S] Galgula partita: Young larva (e.o. Madeira 2013) [S] Galgula partita: Half-grown larva (e.o. Madeira 2013) [S] Galgula partita: Half-grown larva (e.o. Madeira 2013) [S] Galgula partita: Larva after last moult (e.o. Madeira 2013) [S] Galgula partita: Larva after the last moult (eastern Swabian Alb 2012) [S] Galgula partita: Larva (e.o. Madeira 2013) [S] Galgula partita: Larva (e.o. Madeira 2013) [S] Galgula partita: Larva (e.o. Madeira 2013) [S] Galgula partita: Larva (e.o. Madeira 2013) [S] Galgula partita: Larva (e.o. Madeira 2013) [S] Galgula partita: Larva (e.o. Madeira 2013) [S] Galgula partita: Larva (e.o. Madeira 2013) [S] Galgula partita: Larva (e.o. Madeira 2013) [S] Galgula partita: Pupa (e.o. Madeira 2013) [S] Galgula partita: Pupa (e.o. Madeira 2013) [S] Galgula partita: Habitat in Madeira near Santana (March 2013) Galgula partita: Larval habitat (ovipositions) in Madeira near Santana (March 2013) [N]

Host plants:
The larvae feed on Oxalis species. On Madeira, I observed oviposition on Oxalis pes-caprae.

Habitat:
Galgula partita inhabits somewhat humid to wet, but at least partial sunny places with Oxalis. On Madeira, I observed Galgula partita near the coast on a sunny, extensive cattle pasture with partial overgrowth of Pteridium aquilinum at the border of a river (Ribeira de Sao Jorge).

Life cycle:
The adults are at least partially active at daytime and are on the wing year-round. I observed oviposition on the lower side of leaves of Oxalis pes-caprae on a sunny afternoon (Madeira, March 2013). The young larvae have a thin cuticle and are thus dependent on humidity.

Remarks:
Galgula partita has a Nearctic distribution (North America) and belongs to the interesting specialities of Macaronesia like Danaus plexippus. Here it can be observed from the Canaries (e.g. La Palma) across Madeira to the Azores. Galgula partita is rarely also found in the Iberian Peninsula.


German version / deutsche Version