Idea leuconoe
| Paper kite | |
|---|---|
| Dorsal view | |
| Ventral view | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nymphalidae |
| Genus: | Idea |
| Species: | I. leuconoe |
| Binomial name | |
| Idea leuconoe Erichson, 1834 | |
Idea leuconoe, also known as the paper kite butterfly, rice paper butterfly, large tree nymph, is a butterfly known especially for its presence in butterfly houses and live butterfly expositions. It has a wingspan of 12 to 14 cm. The paper kite is of Southeast Asian origin, but has also been found in Taiwan and the Ryukyu Islands.
Larvae feed on Parsonsia species, Tylophora hispida, Parsonsia helicandra, Parsonsia spiralis, and Cynanchum formosanum so both the butterfly and larvae are poisonous.