Black-tipped Flashwing (Vestalis apicalis nigrescens)

An endemic damselfly found near forest streams and rivers from lower hills to montane areas. It is common and often found together with Oriental Green-Wing and Shining Gossamerwing.

කුඩා-හැඩයා[Kuda-Hadaya](Huperzia pulcherrima)

An epiphyte on mossy tree trunks or on rocks in mid and up country secondary forests up to about 2400m a.s.l. Use for the preparation of medicinal oil to treat snake-bite as it is with Maha –Hadaya (Huperzia phlegmaria) 

Sri Lanka dull-blue Flycatcher (Eumyias sordidus)

An endemic bird confined to the forests, home gardens and cultivations of hill country and humid locations in low country wet zone. It is locally common in such areas. It feeds on flying insects usually perching on a branch of a shady tree. It also eats berries. Dull blue flycatcher breeds from March to September in a nest made of moss, fern roots etc and place in a hole in a tree or road bank. 

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ඉරුරාජ[Iru-Raja] (Zeuxine regia)

An endemic orchid species grows among leaf litter of forest floor under the shade of trees in sub-montane and mid country forests. Iru-raja is used for treating snake-bite poisoning in traditional medicine. Flowers during December and January.

Chocolate Albatross (Appias lyncida taprobana)

Rare butterfly of southern low country of the island.  Flight fast and strong. Male often settle on damp earth. Its larva feeds on leaves of Crateva adansonii (ලුණුවරණ) of the family Capparaceae . Chocolate albatross is a butterfly which appears irregularly, being almost entirely absent in certain years.  According to the Woodhouse (Woodhouse L.G.O. The Butterfly fauna of Ceylon 1950) it can usually be ‘taken’ from May to October. 

Cat’s-ear (Hypochaeris radicata)

Native plant of Europe. Introduced as an ornamental plant and now naturalized in moist grasslands of montane areas above 5000ft. Flowering from December to July

Euphorbia rothiana(Common hill spurge)

Common indigenous erect herb distributed in shady places of montane grasslands and secondary forests. Flowering occurs from September to December with characteristic white flowers with two green bracts, on top of the plant.

ගල් ඉබ්බා[Gal ibba]/Black Turtle (Melanochelys trijuga)

Two subspecies occurs in the island

1)        Melanochelys trijuga parkeri (Parker’s Black Turtle) – Larger than Spotted Black turtle with more dark shell and uniform olive brown head (or sometime spotted with orange).  It is restricted to Northern areas of the country.

2)        Melanochelys trijuga thermalis (Spotted Black Turtle) – Head spotted with red orange or pink. Widespread in lowland wet and dry zones up to elevation of about 4200ft a.s.l.

Both subspecies are omnivorous and act as a scavenger.  It inhabits still water bodies with aquatic vegetations and spend many hours basking during the day time and forages at night.

මහ-හැඩයා[Maha –Hadaya] (Huperzia phlegmaria)

An epiphyte on trees or on rocks in mid and up-country forests up to 1200m a.s.l. It is used in snakebite treatments by traditional medical practitioners.

Green’s Gem (Libellago greeni)

Green’s Gem is a locally common endemic damselfly of low and mid hill forest streams and rivers.  

Grass orchid (Arundina graminifolia)

an indigenous terrestrial orchid species with grass like stem and leaves occurs  in open areas and Patana lands of higher elevations. 

Rustic (Cupha erymanthis placida)

An uncommon butterfly found in jungles throughout the island, while becoming rare in the higher hills. Its larva feeds on Flacourtia inermis (Livi-lovi),  Flacourtia indica (උගුරැස්ස), Scolopia acuminata, Scolopia pusilla (කටු කෑර/කටු කුරුඳු/කටු කෙන්ද) and Homalium ceylanicum

කිරිහැන්ඳ[Kiri-hendha]/Silver-spiked cockscomb (Celosia argentea)

An introduced weed of cultivated lands, roadsides, waste lands etc. of low country. Very common in low country dry zone. 

ගෝනා[Goana]/Sambar (Cervus unicolor)

Sambar is the largest member of the deer family lives in the country. It is distributed throughout the island where sizable forest lands or grasslands still remains. However due to illegal poaching in other areas Sambar is today almost restricted to the protected national parks. Horton plains are the only place where Sambar is seen in herds of considerable size. Except man the main predator of Sambar is the leopard while Crocodiles, Pythons and Jackals sometime take fawns. They are mostly active during night and grazing on grasses and take leaves and shoots of plants. Again exception can be seen in Horton plains where they may feed in the evening and early morning. 

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Acmella uliginosa [Syn: Spilanthes iabadicensis]

An introduced herb common in moist grounds like paddy fields, ditches, stream edges, etc.  Yellow flowers blooms from August to March.

Yerbury’s Elf (Tetrathemis yerburyii)

A very rare endemic dragonfly of small size inhabits ponds and stagnant pools along streams of mid-hill rainforests. Museum specimens were so far collected from Hanguranketha, Hatton and Kandy (The dragonflies of Sri Lanka – Terrence the Fonseka). Therefore de Fonseka has noted that it is confined to the submontane areas of the island. However above picture was taken at the Horagolla national park (7° 8'29.44"N,  80° 5'2.83"E) a lowland rain forest patch of about 33acres in Gampaha district 170 ft a.s.l.

Nigger (Orsotriena medus mandata)

Common butterfly flies in southern part of the island from sea level to about 5000ft a.s.l. all the year round. It is scarce in the North. The eggs are laid on the under side of a blade of varies grass species of the family Poaceae and larva feeds on them such as Carpet grass/පොටු තණකොළ (Axonopus compressus),  Leersia hexandra (ලෙව්/Bareet Grass), Oryza sativa and Panicum maximum(ගිනි තණ/Guinea grass).

Mexican flame leaf/Poinsettia/Christmas star (Euphorbia pulcherrima)

Native plant of Mexico. Introduced and cultivated in home gardens due to its attractive red bracts around the small yellow and orange flowers. Also escaped and naturalized in hill country, especially along roads.

Dark-fronted Babbler (Rhopocichla atriceps)

Dark-fronted Babbler is a bird of forest undergrowth of all zones. Generally found in as small flocks feeding on insects among foliage. The main breeding season is from February to May and perhaps again from October to November.  The nest is a ball of dead leaves with wide opening in one side, placed on a fork of tree.

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රන්හිරිය[Ranhiriya] (Vicoa indica [Syn: Pentanema indicum])

Common indigenous herb of roadsides and abandoned chena cultivations, especially of Northern dry zone.

Rough – horn Lizard (Ceratophora aspera)

Endemic and endangered lizard lives in lowland and submontane Dipterocarp forests of the wet zone. Rough – horn Lizard  is a ground dwelling and slow moving lizard which inhabits leaflitter of the shaded forests, usually as pairs. 

Black Flat ( Celaenorrhinus spilothyrus )

Black Flat is a common butterfly usually found in jungles of wet lowlands to mid hills.  Woodhouse remarks that “At Corbet’s gap, near Madugoda, it can be taken all the year round and both sexes are plentiful there in March and April” (Woodhouse L.G.O. The Butterfly fauna of Ceylon 1950).  Male Black Flat of above picture was also taken at same area while on my way to  Dothalugala peak.  It has a habit of settling on the underside of a leaf with its wings spread out flat and  it seldom flies far even disturbed.  Its larva feeds on Barleria arnottiana, Barleria involucrata, Strobilanthes adenophora, Strobilanthes viscosa var. viscosa, Gymnostachyum sanguinolentum, Strobilanthes diandra, Strobilanthes lupulina, Strobilanthes rhamnifolia, and Strobilanthes vestita

සිංහ මුඛ[Sinha-Muka]/Willowleaf angelonia (Angelonia salicariifolia)

Native to Brazil. Introduced to Sri Lanka as an ornamental plant in 1847. Since then it has naturalized along the borders of ditches, ponds and tanks of low country. Flowering throughout the year. 

Ashy Woodswallow/තල්ගස් කුරුල්ලා/අළු වනලිහිණියා [Thalgas Kurulla/ Alu Wanalihiniya] (Artamus fuscus)

Common breeding resident of all zones while getting less common in the hills. Usually found in open country with some trees such as forest edges, paddy fields etc. Often perches on telephone and electricity wires. Generally lives as flocks of  10-15 or more but sometimes occurring in pairs. It prey on insects on the wing and Henry (A guide to the Birds of Sri Lanka - G.M. Henry3rd revised and enlarged edition) described that it as a bird moves about the country a great deal, probably in response to weather conditions or abundances of its insect foods.  The breeding season is from February to June.

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Bloodberry/Pigeonberry/Rougeplant (Rivina humilis)

Native herb of tropical America. Introduced and naturalized widely in other tropical areas including Sri Lanka where it is distributed in roadsides, wastelands and forest edges especially of hill country.  

African Babul Blue (Azanus jesous gamra)

An uncommon butterfly of lowlands below 300m a.s.l. Much common in the dry zone and mostly appearing during the dry season of the year.  It is usually found settling at the end of a twig or thorn of a tree. It flies close to the ground and much fond of roadsides of the open areas or shrubs rather than jungles. Its food plants are Dichrostachys cinerea (අන්දර) and Vachellia nilotica (කටු කිහිරි)

African Babul blue also flies in Africa, Arabia and India. The larvae are attended by ants (Woodhouse L.G.O. The Butterfly fauna of Ceylon 1950)

Twelve o’clock flower (Turnera ulmifolia)

Native plant of West Indies. Introduced and naturalized along roadsides and waste lands of low country and also cultivated in home gardens as an ornamental plant. Flowers open at about 8.00 o’clock and close before noon. Hence the vernacular name. Flowering occurs all the year round.

Spotted House Gecko (Hemidactylus parvimaculatus)

A common house gecko distributed throughout the country excluding higher altitudes.  It can be distinguished from other species of the genus by 3 longitudinal rows of irregular dark brown spots which are smaller than eye and broken brown lateral band extending from snout to ear.  Dorsal surface of the body got tubercles. It prey on insects and also rice and such man-made foods. Cannibalism has been observed among them and territorial fighting are also common where aggregation of more individuals are occurred such as lampposts where insects are abundant during the night. However it is usually found as pairs or sometime as small groups. 

Wild bushbean (Macroptilium lathyroides)

An introduced weed common in low country waste lands and road sides. Native herb of tropical America. It flowers throughout the year. 

Oriental Scarlet (Crocothemis servilia servilia)

Very common dragonfly of tanks, ponds, paddy fields and marshes from low country to mid-hills. 

දිය පරඩැල්/Diya-paradel/Water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes)

Common native floating herb found in low country tanks, ponds and rice fields. Occasionally found also in brackish water ponds.  

Aberrant Bushblue(Arhopala abseus mackwoodi)

Aberrant Bushblue is one of the rarest butterflies of Sri Lanka though scattered records available from all elevations of the country. Here are some comments made by three pioneer authors on Sri Lankan butterfly on distribution of the Aberrant Bushblue.

 “I have never taken this personally, though, when fishing at Ambawella(6000ft) a small Amblypodia, settled close to me, which was either this or a new species. It is not very rare in the Hills above Ratnapura, and has been taken in Colombo” – Ormiston W. The Butterflies of Ceylon 1924

“It has not been captured for many years now, but Ormiston(1924) records…….” – Woodhouse L.G.O. The Butterfly fauna of Ceylon 1950

“This is a very rare butterfly, the only specimens I have seen being in the British Museum (Natural History)” – D’Abrera, Bernard, The butterflies of Ceylon -1998

Its only known larval food plant in Sri Lanka is Vateria copallifera

*Above picture was taken at one of the remaining wet lowland forest patch of Gampaha district. It is highlighting the necessity of immediate actions to conserve these places with high biodiversity. 

Lesser glory (Ipomoea obscura)

An Indigenous vine found along roadsides, waste lands, forest margins and sometimes on sandy beaches, both in wet and dry zones. 

නිල් මහගොයා[Nil maha goya]/ Green Imperial Pigeon(Ducula aenea)

Largest pigeon of the island and a resident of forests from lowland to lower hills. Usually found in upper canopy. Living as pairs or as small flocks (especially during fruiting season of varies trees). It is arboreal and feeds on fruits mainly in the morning and again in the evening. 

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තෙබු[Thebu] (Hellenia speciosa [Syn: Costus speciosus])

An indigenous herb of about 2-3m height found in shady places of the low country. Roots use in traditional ayurvedic medicine to cure catarrhal fevers, coughs, dyspepsia, worms and skin diseases (Medicinal plants used in Ceylon part5 – D.M.A. Jayaweera).  Leaves edible and there is a popular belief that it can reduce the sugar level of the blood and hence good for diabetics patients. 

Common sailor (Neptis hylas varmona)

Very common butterfly flying throughout the year and abundant in everywhere of the island. It takes part in migrations. Larva feeds on

• Calopogonium mucunoides (Calopo)
• Desmodium heterocarpon (ඇත් උඳුපියලිය/Asian ticktrefil)
• Grona heterophylla (මහ උඳුපියලි/Spanish clover)
• Desmodium tortuosum
• Glycine max
• Phyllodium pulchellum
• Tadehagi triquetrum (බා‍‍‍ලොලියා)
• Vigna radiata (මුං/මුං ඇට/බූ මෑ/Green gram/Jerusalem pea/Mung bean)
• Pityranthe verrucosa
• Helicteres isora (ලීනිය)
• Sterculia zeylanica
• Mitragyna parvifolia (හැළඹ)
•  Celtis philippensis (මැදිතැල්ල) 
• Celtis timorensis (ගූරැන්ද/බූරැන්ද)
• Trema orientale(ගැඩුඹ/Charcoal Tree)
• Aeschynomene americana (Thornless mimosa)
• Arachis pintoi (Perennial peanut/Pinto peanut)
• Bauhinia purpurea (රත් කොබෝලීල/Purple orchid tree)
• Cassia fistula (ඇහැළ/Indian Laburnum/Shower of Gold)
• Centrosema pubescens (Butterfly-pea)
• Clitoria ternatea (නිල් කටරොළු/Blue butterfly pea/Butterfly bean)
• Codariocalyx motorius
• Dalbergia pseudo-sissoo (බඹර වැල්)
• Desmodium pryonii
• Pseudarthria viscida (ගස් ගොනික)
• Psophocarpus tetragonolobus
• Neustanthus phaseoloides
• Senna alata (රට තෝර/Candle bush/Candle stick/Rinworm shrub)
• Vigna hosei
• Vigna unguiculata (මෑ කරල්/ ලී මෑ/වඳුරු මෑ/Black-eye Bean/Cowpea)
• Nothapodytes nimmoniana
• Grewia bracteata
• Grewia damine (දමිණිය)
• Grewia helicterifolia (බොරු දමිණිය)
• Grewia orientalis (වැල් කෑලිය/වැල් මැදිය)
• Triumfetta pentandra (ඇපල/කපු කිනිස්ස)
• Urena lobata (පට්ට ඇපල/ඇපල/Caesar weed/Bur mallow)
• Gouania microcarpa
• Ventilago madraspatana (යකඩ වැල්)
• Wendlandia bicuspidata (රාවන් ඉදල/වන ඉදල/රත් වැනිදල)
• Microcos paniculata (කෑලිය/කොහුකිරිල්ල)
• Berrya cordifolia (Trincomalee wood/හල්මිල්ල)
• Erythrina fusca

දියනිල්ල[Diya-nilla] (Rhynchoglossum notonianum)

An indigenous herb found in moist montane forests of hill country. Usually along streams and forest paths. 

Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher/Ceylon orange breasted blue flycatcher (Niltava tickelliae jerdoni)

Common breeding resident of forests and heavily shaded habitats of home gardens and cultivations of all climatic zones of the island.  Frequently found along streams and it is very active especially toward dusk.  It is not much shy and usually flits among the undergrowth in search of its prey which mainly consists of small flying insects, often captured on the wing. 

Japanese lantern/Fringed rose-mallow (Hibiscus schizopetalus)

A large shrub native to Eastern Africa introduced and cultivated in Sri Lankan home gardens. Flowering throughout the year.

Redspot Duke(Dophla evelina evelina)

Rather uncommon butterfly found in low country dry zone, often close to streams and rivers. According to the Woodhouse it is fairy common from January to March (Woodhouse L.G.O. The Butterfly fauna of Ceylon 1950). Food plant – Egg laying only observed so far on the leaves of Diospyros malabarica.

Jam tree/Jamaican cherry (Muntingia calabura)

Small tree native to Jamaica. Introduced and cultivate in home gardens, and also naturalized along forest edges. Fruit edible. Flowering and fruiting occurs throughout the year.

කොරවක්කා[Korawakka]/White-breasted Waterhen(Amaurornis phoenicurus)

Common breeding resident of low country up to about 1800 m a.s.l. It inhabits wet lands with dense vegetation like paddy fields, marshes, tank and mangroves. Usually lives as pairs and active mostly during the morning and again in evening. It is omnivorous and feeds on worms, insects like grasshoppers and also shoots of paddy and other marsh plants. Breeding season is from March to October and nest is a mass of weeds often place on a low bush few feet above of ground or water. 

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Disporum cantoniense

Indigenous herb of forest edges and open places in forests of montane region.  Flowering April to October.

Variegated Flutterer (Rhyothemis variegata variegata)

Very common dragonfly found throughout the year usually as large groups near weedy tanks, streams, paddy fields and marsh areas of  low country. 

Kosters curse/Soap bush (Miconia crenata [Syn: Clidemia hirta])

An invasive shrub native to the South America. Introduced probably as an ornamental plant and naturalized in several tropical countries including Sri Lanka. It is widely distributed along rain forest pathways and streams of wet and montane zones. Also in roadsides and disturbed grounds of lowland wet zone to tea estates in up country. Propagation is mainly due to the seeds spread by birds. 

Common Pierrot (Castalius rosimon)

Common butterfly distributed from lowlands to foot hills. It prefers open areas and usually found in roadsides. Like several other butterflies, males of this species too are fond of settling on damp earth to absorb minerals. According to Ormiston amount of black on upper wings of this butterfly vary with location and wet zone (Galle) specimens have light marks while darkest are from dry zone (Jaffna) and hills (Haldummulla) (Ormiston W. The Butterflies of Ceylon 1924). Larva feeds on  Ziziphus mauritiana, Ziziphus linnaei,  Ziziphus oenopolia (හීන් එරමිණියා), Gouania microcarpa, and Ziziphus rugosa. Egg laying also observed on Ziziphus xylopyrus.

රතු පින්න[Rathu-pinna]/Pagoda flower/Red glorybower (Clerodendrum paniculatum)

Native plant of Southeast Asia. Introduced to Sri Lanka and naturalized in disturbed areas. Often along roads. It is believed that when fed this plant to the elephants they become more confident and brave.

Indian Black bird (Turdus simillimus)

A breeding resident restricted to higher hills above 1000m a.s.l. Indian Black bird is an essentially ground bird common in forest undergrowth, well wooded gardens and tea plantations. It feeds on insects among the leaf litter on the ground and also takes berries. Active mostly during the early morning and again in the dusk. Main breeding season is from March to April and probably again from August to September. 

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