Redspot Duke(Dophla evelina evelina)
Rather uncommon butterfly found in low country dry zone, often close
to streams and rivers. According to the Woodhouse it is fairy common from
January to March (Woodhouse L.G.O. The Butterfly fauna of Ceylon 1950). Food plant – Egg laying only observed so far on the leaves of Diospyros malabarica.
I have two Kaluwara trees in my garden and I am keeping my fingers crossed that one day one of these sunbathing beauties will drop by. Nymphalids are lovely photogenic species.
ReplyDeleteI am eagerly waiting to alter what I said about its distribution above(i.e. found only in dry zone) once your kaluwara trees would attract these sunbathing beauties to your wet zone home;)
ReplyDeleteI have seen it in Bodhinagala, Meethirigala, and Sinharaja in the wet zone, whereas in the dry zone, I have encountered it only at Ritigala!
ReplyDeleteI have never seen it any of above three locations though I had several visits to all three. Are there kaluwara trees in those wet zone forests? I think NO for at least two forest patches of Bodinagala and Meethirigala. Above picture was taken at Nitro cave trail in dry zone side of the knuckles range.
ReplyDeleteI cannot remember noticing Diospyros ebenum occurring naturally in any of these wet zone forest patches.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, the Banded Peacock is found at Meetirigala, where I have not found any of its host plant Chloroxylon swietenia. (Once I have had a BP flying over my garden too.)
Occurrence of Banded Peacock in wet zone was doubted by "higher establishments" on the ground that its host plant Burutha is not found naturally in the wet zone.
Since Banded Peacock is a strong flier, it can cover wide distances from their natal ground to find new nectaring grounds. Which I think should partly explain its presence in the wet zone.
When it comes to relatively weak fliers such as Red-spot Duke, I suspect there may be resident populations in the wet zone because this butterfly may be using a different Ebenaceae species as a food plant. As you know, the wet zone has a fair share of those.
Thanks Amila. you explained it well.:) I also guess that it may be using some other Ebenaceae species when it come to wet zone population if such a well establishment wet zone population is really exist. Actually we need more observation/researches on butterfly fauna such as their distribution, food plants etc..99% of Our current knowledge is based on observations of last century colonial naturalists. Lot of changes were occurred since then and there are high chance of our fauna altering with changing environmental just for survival as it should be.
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ReplyDeleteNo worries, Bushana. You're spot on when you wrote that we need more observations/research on butterflies. Sadly, the "authorities" in the field of butterflies in this country are in their self-formed cocoons—characterized by being paranoid about others pursuing butterflies, and generally being too damn boring. Until they wriggle out of it, you and I will not see much progress.
ReplyDeleteYes I can understand what you are saying.
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