Common Pierrot (Castalius rosimon)

Common butterfly distributed from lowlands to foot hills. It prefers open areas and usually found in roadsides. Like several other butterflies, males of this species too are fond of settling on damp earth to absorb minerals. According to Ormiston amount of black on upper wings of this butterfly vary with location and wet zone (Galle) specimens have light marks while darkest are from dry zone (Jaffna) and hills (Haldummulla) (Ormiston W. The Butterflies of Ceylon 1924). Larva feeds on  Ziziphus mauritiana, Ziziphus linnaei,  Ziziphus oenopolia (හීන් එරමිණියා), Gouania microcarpa, and Ziziphus rugosa. Egg laying also observed on Ziziphus xylopyrus.