Pale 4-Lineblue (Nacaduba hermus)

Rather rare butterfly found in the mid country. Its larva feeds on Symplocos cochinchinensis (බෝඹු/වල්-බෝඹු) and Connarus monocarpus (රදලිය)

Pointed ciliate blue (Anthene lycaenina laycaenina)

Pointed ciliate blue can be easily distinguished from other similar species by pointed fore wings and two ‘tails’ of the hind wings.  It flies all over the island but common in the southern half of the island up to about 500m a.s.l. Its larva feeds on Senegalia caesia (හිඟුරු-වැල්), Lepisanthes tetraphylla (දාඹු), Pongamia pinnata (මගුල් කරඳ) and Abrus precatorius (ඔළිඳ/Crab's Eyes/Indian Liquorice) 

Plains Cupid (Chilades pandava lanka)

Common butterfly of wet zone up to about 1000m a.s.l. Males sometimes settle on damp earth in numbers. Its larva feeds on leaves of Cycas species (Cycas nathorstii, Cycas revoluta and Cycas rumphii). Larva are attended by some ant species. 

Yamfly (Loxura atymnus arcuata)

Locally common butterfly found mostly in southern part of the island from 800 – 2000 ft a.s.l.  It prefers wet dense jungle areas. Larva feeds on young shoots of Smilax zeylanica (හීන් කබරැස්ස), Smilax perfoliata, Dioscorea alata and Dioscorea pentaphylla.

Indian Cupid (Everes lacturnus parrhasius)

Rather uncommon butterfly occurs all over the island in all the year round from sea level to about 1500m a.s.l. Larva feeds on Grona heterophylla (මහ උඳුපියලි/Spanish clover), Grona heterocarpos (ඇත් උඳුපියලිය/Asian ticktrefil), Desmodium triflorum (හීන් උඳුපියලිය/Creeping tick threefoil/Tick clover), Desmodium uncinatum (Silverleaf Desmodium) and Desmodium pryonii of the family Fabaceae. 

Milky Cerulean (Jamides lacteata)

Rare and endemic butterfly found in mid country. Ormiston recorded it from Haldummulla, Wellawaya, Monaragala, Ratnapura, Kandy and Deniyaya (Ormiston W., 1924).  Larva feeds on Lepisanthes erecta and Lepisanthes tetraphylla var. trichocarpa (දාඹු)

Dark Cerulean (Jamides bochus bochus)

Common butterfly of all the year round in all over the island, especially in South. It is a migratory butterfly and Ormiston has recorded that “It often flights in great numbers and these flights are usually composed of dwarf specimens” (Ormiston W. 1924). Males sometimes settle on wet patches on roads to absorb minerals. Its larva feeds on Centrosema plumieri,  Senna occidentalis (පැණි තෝර/Coffee Senna/Coffee Weed), Acacia auriculiformis (Earpod wattle), Cajanus cajan (රට තෝර/Dhal/Pigeon Pea/Chick Pea/Red Gram), Canavalia cathartica (මූදු අවර/වල් අවර), Clitoria ternatea (නිල් කටරොළු/Blue butterfly pea/Butterfly bean),  Crotalaria micans (Caracas rattle box), Derris scandens (කල වැල්), වල් උඳු (Flemingia macrophylla), Gliricidia sepium (කෝන/Mexican Lilac), Lablab purpureus, Macrotyloma uniflorum, Derris elliptica, Phaseolus vulgaris,  Pongamia pinnata (මඟුල් කරඳ/ගල් කරඳ/කරඳ/Indian Beech/Mullikulam Tree), Pterocarpus indicus, Neustanthus phaseoloides, Sesbania grandiflora (කතුරු මුරුංගා/Agati/Vegetable hummongbird), Tephrosia candida, Tephrosia vogelii (Vogel's tephrosia), Vigna radiata (මුං/මුං ඇට/බූ මෑ/Green gram/Jerusalem pea/Mung bean),  Vigna unguiculata (මෑ කරල්/ ලී මෑ/වඳුරු මෑ/Black-eye Bean/Cowpea) and Centrosema pubescens (Butterfly-pea).

Red Pierrot (Talicada nyseus nyseus)

Common insect found in lowlands up to mid hills, throughout the year.  It roosts on flower heads or flower stalks during the evening hours in groups of several, sometime up to a dozen. The larva feeds inside the thick leaves of Kalanchoe pinnata (අක්කපාන/රට ගෝවා Air plant/Coirama) and coming out only to pupate. Its larva also feeds on other species of Kalanchoe such as Kalanchoe blossfeldiana and Kalanchoe laciniata. Egg laying was also observed on toxic Kalanchoe daigremontiana though larva refused to feed on it and died. Sometime yellow aberrations occurs where orange patch of upper wings replaced by yellow. 

Lime Blue (Chilades lajus lajus)

Common butterfly found in all elevations of the island throughout the year, while abundant during the north-east monsoons. Lime Blue is a migratory species. It is subject to some seasonal variation and in both sexes the dry season and wet season forms vary in size and in the shade of blue on the upper side of both wings. Larva attended by Red Ants and feeds on tender leaves of  Atalantia ceylanica (වල් දෙහි/යකිනාරන්/‍යක් දෙහි), Atalantia monophylla, Limonia acidissima (දිවුල්/Wood Apple/Elephant Apple), Citrus aurantiifolia (දෙහි/True Lime/Lime) and Citrus sinensis of the family Rutaceae. 

Common Lineblue (Prosotas nora ardates)

Common butterfly found in all elevations of the island throughout the year. It occurs in two color forms. Yellow form (as figured here) doesn't occurs without tail and typical or grey form sometime do occurs without tails (D’  Abrersa1998). Its larval food plants are Archidendron clypearia subsp. subcoriaceum (මිමිණි මාර), Dalbergia rostrata, Terminalia catappa (කොට්ටම්බා/කොට්ටන්/Indian almond/Country almons),  Senegalia caesia (හිඟුරු-වැල්), Acacia pennata (ගොඩ හිඟුරු), Bauhinia racemosa (මයිල), Derris scandens (කල වැල්), Pithecellobium dulce (මැනිලා සියඹලා/Madras thorn/Manila Tamarind), Croton aromaticus, Calliandra calothyrsus (Calliandra), Calliandra surinamensis,  Samanea saman (මාර/පිනි මාර/පාරෙ මාර/Rain tree), Murraya koenigii (කරපිංචා),  Allophylus cobbe (බූ-කොබ්බෑ\කොබ්බෑ), Pterocarpus indicus and  Pongamia pinnata(මගුල් කරඳ). Egg laying was also observed on Sambucus javanica (Himalayan Elder). 

 

Monkey-puzzle (Rathinda amor)

An uncommon butterfly found in most parts of the island up to about 1000m asl. However it is much plentiful at low country forested areas. The larva feeds on buds of  Ixora coccinea (රතඹලා/රත් මල්) flowers of family Rubiaceae and Immature leaves of බෝ-කෑර/ගෝ-කෑර [Bo-Kera] (Gomphia serrata). Ixora macrothyrsa, Ixora pavetta (මහ රතඹලා/Torch Tree) , Lepisanthes tetraphylla (දාඹු)

Mischodon zeylanicus, Dimorphocalyx glabellus (වැලිවැන්න), Dimocarpus longan, Scutia myrtina, Mangifera indica (අඹ/Mango), Antidesma ghaesembilla and Drypetes sepiaria are also identified as its larval food plants.

Plumbeous silverline (Spindasis schistacea)

Rare butterfly of the low country open areas while plentiful in the hills. Its early stages and food plants are not yet recorded.

Indigo Flash (Rapala varuna lazulina)

Rare butterfly found in lowlands up to about 500m a.s.l . Its larva feeds on flowers, buds and shoot of  Ziziphus oenopolia (හීන් එරමිණියා). Larva also fed on  Ziziphus mauritiana (දෙබර/මහ දෙබර/මසන්/Indian jujube/Chinese apple) when offered in the lab.

Plum Judy (Abisara echerius prunosa)

Locally common butterfly of low country jungles up to about 1200m a.s.l. It usually settles on a leaf few feets above from the ground during the day time and become active during the evening. It has a quick jercky flight which resembles the butterflies of family Hesperiidae. Its larval food plants are Ardisia gardneri, Ardisia elliptica (බලු දං), Embelia ribes and Embelia tsjeriam-cottam of the family Myrsinaceae.

Tiny Grass Blue (Zizula hylax hylax)

Rather rare butterfly found in lowlands to about 1000m elevations. Larva feeds on various plants of family Acanthaceae  such as Hygrophila heinei , Phaulopsis dorsiflora, Ruellia patula, Ruellia prostrata (නිල් පුරුක්), Ruellia tuberosa (නිල් පුරුක්/Wayside tuberose/Minnieroot), Strobilanthes cordifolia (බූ නෙළු) and Hygrophila auriculata (ක‍ටු ඉකිරි/නීරමුල්ලිය) Sometimes larvae are attended by ants.

Metallic Cerulean (Jamides alecto meilichius)

Common in all elevations of the island in all the year round. But rare in the North. It is considered as a pest of Cardamom plantations since its larva feeds on fruits and flowers of Cardamom or එනසාල් (Elettaria cardamomum) of the family Zingiberaceae. Meistera benthamiana, Zingiber officinale (ඉඟුරු/Ginger), Alpinia calcarata (කලා කීරිය/කටු කීරිය/Indian Ginger/Snap-Ginger), Alpinia galanga, Alpinia purpurata (Red ginger), Alpinia zerumbet, Meistera fulviceps, Meistera trichostachya, Hedychium flavescens (Yellow Ginger Lily), Zingiber cylindricum, Zingiber wightianum and Zingiber zerumbet (වල් - ඉඟුරු/Wild Ginger) of the same Zingiberaceae.family are also identified so far as its larval host plants in Sri Lanka.

Pea Blue (Lampides boeticus)

Common butterfly in all over the island in all the year round. It is a migratory species and it varies greatly in size, dwarf forms being very common. This butterfly lays its eggs at the base of the flowers of certain plants of family Fabaceae and when the larva hatches it burrows into the flower and so into the pod, on the seeds of which it feeds until it reaches its next stage of the life cycle. It is considered as a pest due to larva feeding on some cash crops such as peas and beans. Crotalaria albida, Crotalaria beddomeana, Cajanus trinervius (ඇත් තෝර), Crotalaria incana, Crotalaria laburnifolia (යක්බේරිය/Rattle-box/Bird flower), Crotalaria micans (Caracas rattle box), Crotalaria pallida (Smooth rattle box), Crotalaria verrucosa (නිල් අඬණහිරිය/යක්බේරිය/Blue rattlesnake), Crotalaria trichotoma (West Indian rattlebox/Zanzibar rattlepod/Cusara pea), Mundulea sericea, Ulex europaeus (Gorse/Furze/Whin),  Cajanus cajan (රට තෝර/Dhal/Pigeon Pea/Chick Pea/Red Gram), Vigna radiata (මුං/මුං ඇට/බූ මෑ/Green gram/Jerusalem pea/Mung bean),  Vigna unguiculata (මෑ කරල්/ ලී මෑ/වඳුරු මෑ/Black-eye Bean/Cowpea),  Vigna mungo (බූ මෑ/මුං/උළුඳු/Black gram) and Pisum sativum are identified as its larval host plants in Sri Lanka.

Banded Blue Pierrot (Discolampa ethion ethion)

Rather rare butterfly found in low country wet zone up to about 1500m a.s.l. elevation. It prefers wooded areas and often settles on a twig or leaf overhanging a jungle path and male a ‘mud-puddler’ settles in wet patches in jungle paths sometime in swarms. Its larva feeds on  Ziziphus oenopolia (හීන් එරමිණියා) and Ziziphus mauritiana (දෙබර/මහ දෙබර/මසන්/Indian jujube/Chinese apple)  of  the family Rhamnaceae .

Indian Sunbeam (Curetis thetis)

Indian Sunbeam is an uncommon butterfly with rather unusual male-female distribution pattern in Sri Lanka. W. Ormistom wrote in last century that “the male is very plentiful in Wellawaya, and is almost always found settled on wet roads and in river-beds. The female is scarce there. At Anuradhapura I have found the male scarce, but the female common.” (Ormiston W.,  1924). Base on museum specimens de’Abrera also confirmed this by stating “male is more visible south of the central mountain range, whilst the female is more visible in the northern low country dry zone.” (de’Abrera B., 1998)  Female in above picture was photographed at Anavilundawa sanctuary of North-Western province and male which is not shown here has dissimilar bright copper red recto. Its larva feeds on Derris parviflora,  Entada rheedei (පුස් වැල්), Indigofera tinctoria, Pericopsis mooniana, Pongamia pinnata(මගුල් කරඳ), Pterocarpus indicus,  Lepisanthes tetraphylla (දාඹු), Abrus precatorius (ඔළිඳ/Crab's Eyes/Indian Liquorice),Derris scandens (කල වැල්) and Canavalia rosea.

Common Cerulean (Jamides celeno tissama)

A Common butterfly of the island found in all climatic zones throughout the year.  W.Ormiston described unusual habit of male Common cerulean of taking up a position for days, and attacking every butterfly of about its own size that passes (The Butterflies of Ceylon Ormiston W. 1924). Larva of Common cerulean feeds on Centrosema plumieri, Entada zeylanica, Abrus precatorius (ඔළිඳ/Crab's Eyes/Indian Liquorice),  Abrus melanospermus,  Entada rheedei (පුස් වැල්),  වල් උඳු (Flemingia macrophylla), Pongamia pinnata (මඟුල් කරඳ/ගල් කරඳ/කරඳ/Indian Beech/Mullikulam Tree),Phaseolus vulgaris, Neustanthus phaseoloides, Vigna hosei, Vigna unguiculata (මෑ කරල්/ ලී මෑ/වඳුරු මෑ/Black-eye Bean/Cowpea) and  Vigna radiata (මුං/මුං ඇට/බූ මෑ/Green gram/Jerusalem pea/Mung bean)