Gangara thyrsis, commonly known as the Giant Redeye, is a butterfly

Butterfly

A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...

 belonging to the family Hesperiidae. It breeds on a number of palm species.

Description

The wing expanse ranges from 2.5 to 3.25 inches.

Life history

Larva greyish-white with a few ochreous dorsal spots and marks. From the body, according to Dr. Thwaites, a loose shaggy filamentous clothing consisting of pure wax is excreted, but which is easily rubbed off when handled, leaving the larva quite naked. Feeds on Palmaceae. The larvae feed on palms and canes including Cocos nucifera, Calamus pseudotenuis, Calamus rotang

Calamus rotang

Calamus rotang L., rotang or Rattan Palm is one of the scandent palms used for Malacca cane and rattan in the making of furniture, baskets, walking-sticks, umbrellas, tables and general wickerwork, and is found in Southwest Asia...

, Calamus thwaitesii, Phoenix loureirii, Licuala chinensis and Phoenix humilis. Has also been recorded on Zingiber officinale.

Pupa pale olivaceous-yellow ; the tongue spirally protruded. (Moore)

Recorded from Ceylon (Wade; Mackwood) ; Bombay (Swinhoe) ; Nicobars, Andamans, and Cachar ( Wood-Mason and de Niceville) ; Calcutta (de Niceville] ; Orissa (Taylor] ; Nilgiris (Hampson).