Eurema hecabe, also known as Common Grass Yellow or Kuning-rumput in Bahasa Melayu (Omar et al., 2023), is a diurnal butterfly species belonging to the family Pieridae. The adult stage of Eurema hecabe has a wingspan of 35−45 mm and is characterised by its bright to pale yellow coloured wings with black marginal markings on the dorsal side of the forewings (Abdul Wahid et al., 2016). The females are larger and have paler yellow coloured wings with a broader black apical border on the forewings compared to males (Jeratthitikul et al., 2009). Eurema hecabe are widely dispersed in Malaysia, Southern Asia, Australia, and Africa (Khan & Zulfiqar, 2012; Abdul Wahid et al., 2016; Shah et al., 2021).
Eurema hecabe is a holometabolous insect that undergoes four different stages of life cycle: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Mostly, the eggs are placed on Fabaceae-family host plants, which serve as food sources for the phytophagous larvae, or caterpillars. After several metamorphosis, the larvae will remain inactive during the pupal stage within the chrysalis before emerging as an adult butterfly. The newly grown adult will then seek for a mate to reproduce and lay eggs (Abang, 2006).
This species can be found in nearly any habitat and elevation ranging from 0−2,000 m above the sea level due to its highly migratory behavior. Its primary breeding habitats are on disturbed or open areas like parks, gardens, roadside edges, primary and secondary forests as well as forest clearings. Eurema hecabe are highly sensitive to anthropogenic activities like urbanization and changes to the natural landscape. Factors such as temperature, humidity, wind, and rainfall have a significant impact on the distribution and population size of this group as well as for the developmental growth. Hence, Eurema hecabe plays a very important role as a good bioindicator of ecological change (Hilo et al., 2012; Aris et al., 2017; Ginoga et al., 2019).
Based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, Eurema hecabe is categorized as Least Concern (LC) since no substantial threat it faces and also their population trend in the global is stable (Westrip, 2022).
