Talicada nyseus, the red Pierrot,[1][2] is a small but striking butterfly found in the Indian subcontinent[1] and South-East Asia belonging to the lycaenids, or blues family.

[2] The red Pierrots, often found perching on its larva host plant, Kalanchoe,[3] are usually noticed due to their striking patterns and colors.

Hindwing: a large conspicuous orange-red patch on the posterior terminal half of the wing between the dorsum and vein 7; this patch does not extend quite to the termen but leaves a narrow edging of the black ground-colour which is produced inwards in short conical projections in interspaces 2 to 5.

Forewing: a quadrate spot on the discocellulars, a broad transverse discal band and the terminal third of the wing jet-black; the discal band is irregular, dislocated on vein 3, the posterior portion shifted inwards and joined onto the black area on the posterior terminal third of the wing by projections of black on the dorsum, along veins 3 and between veins 4 and 5; the black area on terminal third of the wing encloses a transverse postdiscal series of small round and a subterminal transversely near series of spots of the white ground-colour.

Cilia of both fore and hind wings chequered as on the upperside; a short filamentous tail at apex of vein 2 black, tipped white.

[1][2][4] They are widely distributed in peninsular India, and have been recorded from many localities in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, and Odisha.

It fearlessness, weak flight and distinctive markings all indicate that it is a protected butterfly, which is peculiar considering that its host plants are not known to contain any sequestrable toxins.

The caterpillar is pale yellow to a dirty white, and flattened with large, jet black spiracles.

It feeds in the interior of the fleshy leaves of Bryophyllum calycinum, only emerging in order to turn into a pupa.At the time of pupation the caterpillar comes out of the leaf and weaves a silk pad and a tight body band and then moults to form the pupa.

It is of the same fleshy colour as the larva and has two lines of small black dots along the surface of the abdomen continued along the thorax.

It also has a third row of four similar dots on the middle of the abdomen between them; the two dots on the thorax nearest the head are also connected by two other dots.The larval host plants are Kalanchoe laciniata and K. pinnata of the family Crassulaceae (stonecrop family); the latter host being a common garden plant.