Tawny Coster

Description:

The sexes are almost alike. This orange-coloured butterfly has black spots throughout both surfaces of its wings. The spots on its forewing are larger than those on its hindwing. The black colour of the outer margin of its forewing extends along the veins. The hindwing has a broad, black outer margin, with a row of circular spots on the upper side. These spots are whitish in females and orange in males. The brightness of the orange colour is reduced due to the white dustings on its underside. The pattern is the same as on the upper surface, except that the spots on the outer margin of the hindwing are bigger and white in colour in both sexes. This butterfly sheds its scales giving its wings a transparent look as it becomes older.

Habitat:

Sun basking on a tea leaf.

Notes:

It is a slow, casual flier. It is fond of flying close to the ground and prefers to feed on herbaceous flowers such as Tridax procumbens. Adult females have different preferences in larval food plants selection, depending on the region. It joins with migration. This species is commonly found all over the country amidst road side vegetation, scrublands, wastelands and parks.