IUCN RED LIST
Established in 1964, The IUCN Red List is a critical indicator of the health of the world’s biodiversity. Species are classified by the IUCN Red List into nine groups, through criteria such as rate of decline, population size and area of geographic distribution as:
- Extinct (EX) – This species is no longer extant
- Extinct in the wild (EW) – Survives only in captivity, or through cultivation often outside native range
- Critically endangered (CR) – In an extremely critical state
- Endangered (EN) – Very high risk of extinction in the wild
- Vulnerable (VU) – At high risk of unnatural (human-caused) extinction
- Near Threatened (NT) – Close to being endangered in the near future
- Least Concern (LC) – Widespread and abundant in the wild
- Data Deficient (DD) – Inadequate information to assess extinction risk
- Not Evaluated (NE) – Has not yet been assessed
The upper wings are dark brown to blackish, contrasting sharply with the bright orange hindwings and orange markings on the forewings. The underside is similarly colored but often appears slightly paler. The vibrant orange coloration makes the species easily recognizable when in flight.
The Orange Awlet is a fast and agile butterfly that prefers shaded habitats. It is most active during the early morning and late afternoon. Adults often rest beneath leaves and make short, rapid flights between patches of vegetation. The species is generally solitary and can be difficult to observe due to its secretive nature.
The Orange Awlet is a resident species and is not known to undertake long-distance migrations. Local movements may occur in response to seasonal changes in food availability and habitat conditions.
Females lay eggs singly on host plants, primarily species of cinnamon and related trees belonging to the family Lauraceae. Breeding occurs throughout much of the year in tropical regions, with increased activity during and after the monsoon season.
Its rapid flight enables efficient movement through dense forest vegetation and helps avoid predators. The dark upper wings provide camouflage when resting in shaded habitats, while the bright orange hindwings may function in predator distraction and species recognition. Caterpillars gain protection by living within folded-leaf shelters.
Adults feed on flower nectar, tree sap, bird droppings, and mineral-rich moisture from damp ground. Caterpillars feed mainly on leaves of host plants such as Cinnamomum species. Larvae construct protective shelters by folding leaves together with silk.
The Orange Awlet inhabits tropical and subtropical forests, forest edges, bamboo thickets, shaded woodland paths, plantations, and well-vegetated gardens.
