Common Jezebel (Delias eucharis)

It is abundant everywhere in island wherever its larval food plant flourishes (i.e. Loranthus species - Common parasitic plants called Pilila in Sinhala) at all elevations and flies all the year round. Flight is weak and fluttering. Although flies rather high, it comes readily to flowers in all weather conditions. It is not frequently mud puddling as the males of its mimic (Painted Saw-tooth) but in very hot weather few settle on damp spots on the river beds. Rather rare wet season form of this butterfly described with white of the upper surface is replaced by yellow, said to be frequent in Ratnapura district. Common jezebel sometimes flies with the company with its mimic of entirely different genus (Prioneris sita/ Painted Saw-tooth) which in normal flight appear very similar to the jezebel with coloration, wing shape and size. But once disturbed Painted Saw-tooth has rapidly ascending flight unlike Common jezebel.

Lava feeds on the leaves of Dendrophthoe falcata, Dendrophthoe ligulatus, Dendrophthoe neelgherrensis, Scurrula cordifolia, Scurrula parasitica, Taxillus tomentosus and Taxillus cuneatus of Loranthaceae family