Phalantha phalantha
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
||||||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||
| Phalantha phalantha (Drury, 1773) |
The Common Leopard Phalantha phalantha is a beautiful sun-loving butterfly of the Nymphalid or Brush-footed Butterfly family.
Contents |
[edit] Distribution
The butterfly is found in South Asia (including Sri Lanka and Myanmar).
[edit] Status
Widely distributed and abundant. To the tops of hills in Sri Lanka and South India and up to 10000 feet in the Himalayas.
[edit] Habits
Sun loving and avoids shade. Seen in the plains, gardens and edges of clearings. Has active and sharp flight movements. Visits flowers regularly especially Lantana, Duranta and thistles. Often seen drinking from damp patches. A regular basker with wings spread wide open. It is commonest in dry areas and dry weather and absent from the wetter parts of India during the monsoon.
[edit] Life Cycle
 Egg |
 Egg |
 Larva |
 Adult |
Foodplants are species of Family Bixaceae. It has been recorded breeding on Flacourtia ramontchi and Flacourtia montana, Smilax and Salix.
[edit] References
- Wynter-Blyth, M.A., (1957) Butterflies of the Indian Region, Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, India.
- Kunte, Krushnamegh (2000) "Butterflies of Peninsular India". Universities Press, Hyderabad. ISBN 81-7371-354-5
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
 |
This butterfly-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
