Narrow-banded Bluebottle

Graphium teredon (Felder & Felder, 1865) —  നീലക്കുടുക്ക


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

DISTRIBUTION
It occurs in southern India in the Western Ghats and in the Himalayas from Kashmir eastwards. Its global distribution extends over the Oriental and Australian regions.
HABITAT
It occurs in the evergreen and semi-evergreen forests and is very common in the forest paths, streamside and edges. It is found mainly at low elevation but may be seen up to 2300 m in the Himalayas.
HABITS
The Blue bottle is a nervous butterfly settling seldom and only momentarily. It flies fast with rapid wingbeats. Although it occurs in all the vegetation layers, it spends most of its time in the canopy of the tall forest trees. It feeds on nectar.          
IDENTIFICATION  FEATURES
Wingspan 80mm-90mm. The upper side is black with a greenish blue central band. The wings are pointed. The hindwings have a row of submarginal crescent shaped blue spots. The underside of the wings is brown, the blue band paler, with some red spots. The female is paler with slightly broader wings.

LARVAL HOSTPLANTS
The caterpillar feed on planta of family Louraceae and Annonaceae.  Alseodaphne semecarpifolia, Cinnamomum camphora, C macrocarpum, C. malabatrum  (വയന) , Litsea chinensis, Miliusa tomentosa, Polyalthia longifolia and Persea macrantha. 


                                                                                                                 Photo  Baiju K

                                                                       Photo  Baiju K

                                                                        Photo  Baiju K

                                                                         Photo  Baiju K




Narrow-Banded Bluebottle
Bluebottle - Mudpuddling - side view - Photographer: Pradeep Krishnan

Bluebottle
Bluebottle - Puddling - side view - Photographer: Anila Manalil
                              
കേരള വനം വന്യജീവി വകുപ്പ്  
മാങ്കുളം ഡിവിഷൻ


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