Great Eggfly
Common Eggfly
The Great Eggfly (Hypolimnas bolina), also called the Common Eggfly, is a species of nymphalid butterfly.
Male: The upper side of the wings are jet black, offset with three pairs of white spots &two on the forewing and one on the hind. These white spots are surrounded by purple iridescence. In addition, the upper side of the hind wing bears a series of small white dots.
Female: The upper side of the wings of the female is a brownish black and does not have any spots like those of the male. The edges bear white markings which are similar to those of the Common Indian Crow.
The Common Eggfly is known for maternal care, with the females guarding leaves where eggs have been laid. Males are also very territorial and site fidelity increases with age. Territories that enhance the detection of females are preferred. The female hovers over a plant to check for ants which will eat her eggs. After selecting a plant which has no ants on it, she lays at least one but often two to five eggs on the undersides of the leaves.
Habitat: Forest, Scrub forest and Home gardensDistribution: All zones of the country
Status: Common
0 comments:
Post a Comment