Commander

Description:

The Commander is mostly dependent on fruits and tree sap, but also visits flowers. It feeds on the fruits of Melastoma malabathricum along rain forest tracks. Males engage in mud sipping but never congregate. Females make a great effort to lay eggs at the tips of leaves, as it facilitates the related behaviour of the larvae.

Habitat:

This forest-dwelling species can be found in sunny openings such as forest paths and streams. They are seen in gloomy areas, especially when searching for larval food plants. It is distributed throughout the country but is more abundant in the lower wet zone