Thursday, May 3, 2012

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.