Apefly (Spalgis epeus epeus)

Rare butterfly distributed in the low country to mid hills of about 500m a.s.l. As per Woodhouse Larva of Apefly unlike with other butterflies feeds on scale insects (Coccidae) especially “Mealy bug” and is never known to eat vegetable food (Woodhouse L.G.O. 1950) But de’Abrera stated that it is just a keeping company with Mealybugs (de’Abrera B., 1998). Pupa is remarkably like the head and face of an ape. Hence its vernacular name Apefly.