Ceylon snow flat (Tagiades japetus obscurus)

An uncommon butterfly occurs in lowland to mid hills of wet zone forests.  It is a migratory species and Ormiston noted of ‘flights’ of Ceylon snow flats with Water snow flats together at Haldummulla toward west (Ormiston 1924). But usually it flies a short distance and settles with its wings expanded on the under side of a leaf. Its larva feeds on Dioscorea trimenii, Dioscorea alata, Dioscorea bulbifera, Dioscorea oppositifolia, Dioscorea pentaphylla, Dioscorea tomentosa and Dioscorea koyamae of the family Dioscoreacea. Female has more white on its hind wings than male(figured here).