Guardian Nature School Team Contact Blog Project Noah Facebook Project Noah Twitter

A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife

Join Project Noah!
nature school apple icon

Project Noah Nature School visit nature school

White Orange Tip

Ixias marianne

Description:

It flies only in the low country not higher than 300 to 500 feet elevation and inhabits the where the vegetation is sparse and thorny. They are common among scrub jungles and thickets of the arid, dry and intermediate zones. Consequently it is most readily encountered in the northern dry zone, and also to a lesser extent in the south and south east of the island. It is seen all year round but is commonest during the pre-monsoonal period. It may ascend the lower hills on occasion, but only during migrations.

Habitat:

Scrubland

Notes:

A very active butterfly, particularly the males. It flies hurriedly as it darts across from one thicket to another, seldom above a couple of feet off ground. It flies incessantly, meandering in and out of thorny scrub in search of mates or nectar. When it settles to nectar, it does so only for a fleeting moment and is soon on the wing once again. It loves the sun and may be seen flying until around 2 pm. After that it retires into the thickets to sit on the upper side of a leaf or a twig to spend the night. Although it basks in the early morning, it tends to be jittery and is not easy to approach. At rest, it holds its wings up and the forewings are pulled back between the hind wings until much of it is covered. Its flight is not particularly brisk and it tends to rest quite often, generally its wings folded. Its flight is not terribly energetic and it has not been known to take part in migrations.

Species ID Suggestions



Sign in to suggest organism ID

9 Comments

NuwanChathuranga
NuwanChathuranga 10 years ago

Thanks martinl

MartinL
MartinL 10 years ago

That's a great capture NuwanC. I love the white dots that look like fingerprints. They are quite different to the upperside but classic pierids. Nicely done.

SachindraUmesh
SachindraUmesh 10 years ago

Great spotting buddy! =)

ToshimiDowaki
ToshimiDowaki 10 years ago

Great capture!

NuwanChathuranga
NuwanChathuranga 10 years ago

Thank you Marta!

The MnMs
The MnMs 10 years ago

Another beauty!

NuwanChathuranga
NuwanChathuranga 10 years ago

Thank you Bhagya, Christos !

ChristosMaroulis
ChristosMaroulis 10 years ago

Nice!!

Bhagya Herath
Bhagya Herath 10 years ago

great spotting.......

NuwanChathuranga
Spotted by
NuwanChathuranga

Northern Province, Sri Lanka

Spotted on Dec 15, 2013
Submitted on Dec 18, 2013

Related Spottings

White Orange Tip White Orange tip White Orange Tip White orange tip

Nearby Spottings

Assassin Bug Crimson Tip Common Bluetail - Female Potter Wasp
Noah Guardians
Noah Sponsors
join Project Noah Team

Join the Project Noah Team