Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Tawny Rajah (Charaxes psaphon)

Rather uncommon butterfly flies all over the island except in the higher hills. It is much common in the dry zone especially during the south-west monsoon and scarce in the wet zone. Both sexes especially males settle on wet patches, bird droppings, decaying animal matters and rotting fruits. It is a very fast flier and also take part in migrations. Hill-topping phenomena is also observed of male Tawny Rajas*. According to the sources females are rarely seen, since they are less active and preferring to sit deep in the foliage. Larva feeds on Entada zeylanica, Tamarindus indica (සියඹලා/Tamarind/Indian Date)Dalbergia pseudo-sissoo (බඹර වැල්),  Entada rheedei (පුස් වැල්) and Croton laccifer (ගස්-කැප්පෙටියා). Egg laying observed on Miliusa tomentosa and  Actinodaphne stenophylla (නික දවුල) and larva fed on Aglaia elaeagnoidea when offered in the lab.

* Male flying up to and staying on a hill top waiting for females.

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