Dark Evening Brown (Melanitis phedima)

An uncommon butterfly occurs from lowlands to about 3500ft elevations, particularly in the wet zone.  It flies mainly in the late afternoon and settles in the undergrowth during the day time. Dark Evening Brown is seldom seen out of jungles or well wooded home gardens. It feeds on rotting fruits and usually seen under fruit bearing trees even during the day time.  Larval host plants are grasses [Arundo donax, Cyrtococcum trigonum,  Panicum maximum(ගිනි තණ/Guinea grass),  Setaria barbat] and paddy (Oryza sativa). Its larva also fed on Carpet grass/පොටු තණකොළ (Axonopus compressus), Digitaria didactyla and Ischaemum timorense only when offered in the lab.