Choaspes benjaminii

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Indian Awlking

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Hesperiidae
Subfamily:	Coeliadinae
Genus:	Choaspes
Species:	C. benjaminii

Binomial name

Choaspes benjaminii
(Guérin-Meneville, 1843)

Choaspes benjaminii, commonly known as the Indian Awlking, is a beautiful butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae.

1 Range
2 Status
3 Description
4 Habits
5 References
6 See also
7 External links

[edit] Range

Palnis, Nilgiris, Coorg. In northern India from Kulu to Assam and North Burma.

[edit] Status

Not Rare.

[edit] Description

The Indian Awlking is 50 to 60 mm long.
It is distinguished by the shining green under hindwing with black veins, orange area with black spots on the tornus. (See taxobox image).
The male butterfly is shining indigo-blue above. It has purplish hairs at the base which turn greenish with age.
The female butterfly is dark shining green with bluish-gray hairs at the base.

[edit] Habits

The Indian Awlking is found in heavy jungles from 3500 feet to 8000 feet in the hills. It is attracted to flowers, animal and bird droppings. It frequents the shade in the daytime but is found flying in the open during the early and late hours of the day.

[edit] References

Evans, W.H. (1932) The Identification of Indian Butterflies. (2nd Ed), Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, India
Gaonkar, Harish (1996) Butterflies of the Western Ghats, India (including Sri Lanka) - A Biodiversity Assessment of a threatened mountain system. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society.
Haribal, Meena (1994) Butterflies of Sikkim Himalaya and their Natural History.
Kunte,Krushnamegh (2005) Butterflies of Peninsular India. Universities Press.
Wynter-Blyth, M.A. (1957) Butterflies of the Indian Region, Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, India.