Pioneer

Description:

This butterfly has a strong crisp flight, but at times appears extremely drowsy and lethargic especially in high elevations. It flies fast and low to the ground, except in mass migration, when ribbons of thousands of them may be seen sailing across the sky, anywhere from 5 to 20 feet above ground. It is a great “warmer”. It is seen swarming between October and December. Often it comes down fearlessly to flowers or moist sand, in migration. Unfortunately, during migration, they also die by the hundreds along the roads, hit by passing traffic. It is a eager visitor to the occasional patch of earth made damp by animal urine, where they come in large numbers to absorb the mineral salts given off under the heat o the sun.

Habitat:

It is a common butterfly of the arid, dry and intermediate zones of the low country of the island. It is found all year round but is most abundant during the north-east monsoon. It mostly prefers scrub jungle and open spaces with lots of bright sunshine. It is common all year round but its best appearing months are between September and February.

Notes:

larvae feeds on Members of the family Capparidaceae. The most frequently utilized is the food plant Capparis sepiaria.