White Orange-tip

Description:

Mostly white but with large orange patch with 4 black spots. Terminal border on hindwing is black. This one is male because the orange is truly orange; not yellow as in females.

Habitat:

Chilapata Forest is near Jaldapara National Park in Dooars, Alipurduar district, West Bengal, India. We were close to it when the driver stopped to answer his cellphone. I stepped out of the car...this butterfly had ventured too close to a freshly tarred road and an army of ants had sensed it was close to a sticky end...I picked it up and placed it on a plant (first snap). I thought for a moment that it was dead but as we drove away we saw it was moving. At least it wasn't eaten alive by ants.