Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Gaudy Baron/Elahera Butterfly(Euthalia lubentina psittacus)

Rather uncommon butterfly though widely distributed throughout the island in all climatic zones from sea level to about 1500 m altitude. Both males and females settle on wet earth to absorb minerals and feeds on rotten fruits (which is unusual since in most other butterflies it is only males do mud puddling.) Woodhouse* remarks that it is also known as the Elehera (ඇලහැර) among 'Kandy collectors'  since it is always found in that area during March and September. Larva feeds on varies පිළිල species such as Dendrophthoe falcataMacrosolen capitellatusTaxillus incanusTaxillus tomentosus, Taxillus cuneatus and Tolypanthus gardneri of the family Loranthaceae

* Woodhouse L.G.O. (1950) The Butterfly Fauna of CeylonCeylon Government Press, Colombo, 2nd (Abriged) Edition.  1950.

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