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Monday, October 25, 2010

Angled Castor (Ariadne ariadne minorata)

Angled Castor is a common butterfly found all over the island in all the year round, though becoming scarce above 1200m. It is abundant in degraded vegetations. Its larval host plant is Thel Edaru (Ricinus communis), a plant which is widely cultivated to extract Castor oil. Hence the vernacular English name for this butterfly. However in Sri Lanka only three Tragia (කහඹිලියා) species are identified as its larval host plants (Tragia plukenetiiTragia involucrata(Indian Stinging Nettle) - both Known as වැල් කහඹිලියා in Sinhala  and Tragia hispida)

4 comments:

  1. My special thanks for mentioning the host plant,I'm planning to create a butterfly garden!

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  2. Now, that's a butterfly that I need to photograph. I don't see them often in the wet zone, where I frequent most.

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  3. Hi Amila

    Two week ago I captured it in Anavilundawa sanctuary. Exact location is abandoned prawn farm area (7 42' 43.62 N, 79 48' 07.41" E) close to Muthupanthiya lagoon. Though I have visited Anavilundawa several times this is the first time I encountered this butterfly.

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