Southern White Admiral

Description:

Locally named 'Plavi Admiral' (or Blue admiral), this is medium sized daytime butterfly, about 5 to 6 cm in wingspan. I found it of spectacular appearance, with a clear contrast from two sides - almost hard to believe the switch from flight mode to resting pose. Wings' underside is highly patterned reddish-orange, golden-brown and white, with some black lines and dots. From above, wings are velvety brown-black, with large white spots - I was unable to produce a clear shot from above, but here is one of my previous spottings: https://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/19.... The body is also bicoloured, blackish above, and white below.

Habitat:

Another very common butterfly in Dalmatia, the coastal region of Croatia. Here seen near another historical site in hinterland of Dubrovnik (an old fortress named 'Sokolgrad' - meaning 'Faucon-town' and adjacent cemetery) , on slopes of hills covered by a maquis. Hills are rocky and often steep, and covered by a evergreen shrubs and mixed Mediterranean forests.