Rare Ace (Halpe egena)

Rare Ace is a rare and endemic butterfly. Its recent records are only from the higher elevations at Knuckles range and Peak Wilderness Sanctuary. However historical records available from Kalupahana, Ratnapura and Haldummulla-Horton Plains road (Ormiston W., 1924). Rare Ace is more or less similar to Ceylon Ace and some authors believes that both are one and same species while Ceylon Ace found at lower elevations and Rare Ace is restricted to the higher hills or that they are seasonal forms. The only consistent difference of both is the ground color and the ground color of Ceylon Ace is dark brown while Rare Ace is dark purplish brown. The immature stages of both species are also quite similar. Its larva feeds on leaves of Davidsea attenuata.