Common Mormon (Papilio Polytes)

Common butterfly occurs all over the island though becoming scarce at higher elevations above 2000ft. There are three varieties of female of this butterfly. One similar to the male and known as cyrus and second one mimic Crimson Rose (Pachliopta hector) and has been named as Romulus. Third one is known as Stichius and which mimic Common Rose (Pachliopta aristolochiae). Food plants of Common Mormon larva are Toddalia asiatica (කුඩු මිරිස්ස/Kudu-mirissa) Atalantia ceylanica (වල් දෙහි/යකිනාරන්/‍යක් දෙහි) , Murraya paniculata (ඇට්ටේරියා/Orange jasmine), Glycosmis pentaphylla (දොඩම් පනා), Glycosmis mauritiana, Glycosmis angustifolia, Micromelum minutum (වල් කරපිංචා), Limonia acidissima (දිවුල්) and Pleiospermium alatum when it occurs in jungles. It also favored all type of citrus trees such as Citrus aurantiifolia (දෙහි/True Lime/Lime), Citrus limon, Citrus maxima, Citrus sinensis and also Murraya koenigii (කරපිංචා). Common Mormon is considered as a migratory species and joins the flights in great numbers usually in November to December.