Dakhan Tailed Jay

August 10, 2023

Graphium agamemnon menides (Fruhstorfer, 1904) വിറവാലൻ

Photo Baiju K

Malayalam Name	:	വിറവാലൻ
Family	:	Papilionidae
Sub-family	:	Papilioninae
Tribe	:	Leptocircini
Order	:	Lepidoptera

DISTRIBUTION

It is distributed in the entire Indian subcontinent as well as part of south east Asia.

STATUS : Common

HABITAT

Common in open country on the plains as well as dense evergreen forests at lower elevations . Common in urban gardens due to plantation of its host plants.

HABIT

Its flight is straight and dashing. Fly high in tree canopy but often descend down to flowers. Male visit damp patches in large numbers especially along the forest streams and river beds. It is an extremely restless butterfly, never tired of flying. It quivers its wings constantly while feeding.

IDENTIFICATION FEATURES

Wingspan 85-100 mm. It is black butterfly with apple-green spot and streaks on its wings. The wings are more elongated and narrower than in other groups of Indian Swallowtails. The tails on the hind wings are longer in the females. Males with tufts of long scent scales in the anal fold. Sexes similar.

LARVAL HOST PLANTS.

The Caterpillars feed on tall wild trees and cultivated small trees, belonging to the families Annonaceae, Lauraceae and Magnoliaceae.

The reported species are Annona discolor, A.muriacata, A.reticulata, A.squamosa, Artabotrys hexapetalus, Artabotrys hexapetalus, Cinnamoum spp, Michelia champaca, Miliusa tomentosum, Polyalthia cerasoides and P.longifolia.

LIFE CYCLE