Leopard Lacewing Butterfly Cethosia cyane

The Leopard Lacewing butterfly is native to South and Southeast Asia. The male topside, above left, is very similar to the Orange and Malay Lacewings and, like them, has a white diagonal bar on the forewing. The orange area has more black spots.

The topside of the female Leopard Lacewing, above right, is more leopard-like: mainly fawn with black, similar to the female Red Lacewing plus a white diagonal bar and many black spots.

The undersides are totally different to the Red, Orange or Malay Lacewings - a white corner bar on the forewing (unlike the Red) and two white rows on the outer hind wing (unlike the Malay). The strong red area of the underside forewing has pale blue bordered with black lines like the Malay Lacewing; the Red Lacewing has white rather than blue. The female, above left and centre, has a light yellowish fawn background colour on the hind wings while the male, above right, has a richer tan colour and some red patches.