Dakhan Common Jay

 Graphium doson eleius (Felder & Felder, 1864) നാട്ടുക്കുടുക്ക



Malayalam Name 

:

നാട്ടുക്കുടുക്ക

Family 

:

Papilionidae

Sub-family             

:

Papilioninae

Tribe                     

: 

 Leptocircini

Order

:

Lepidoptera


DISTRIBUTION
            Widespread and common throughout Southeast Asia. 
STATUS:    Common
HABITAT
The Common Jay is common in the thick, riparian, moist deciduous, semi-evergreen and evergreen forests. It inhabits primary as well as secondary forests, plantation and orchards. 
HABITS
 This butterfly is active throughout the day but difficult to see it settled down. While feeding from flowers, it keeps its wings vibrating, never fully settling on the flower. The mails gather at mud-puddling sites and usually form their  own species assemblages or join other Swallowtail butterflies. In the evening it choose a particular branch to sleep. At rest the wings are closed over the back, but the hind wings do not cover the fore wings. 
IDENTIFICATION  FEATURES
Wingspan 70mm-80mm.  This black butterfly with a pale blue semi-transparent central band that is formed by large spots. There is a marginal series of smaller spots. The underside of the wings is brown, with markings similar to the upper side, but they are whitish. The sexes look alike. Similar to Blue bottle butterfly.
LARVAL HOST PLANTS
The caterlillar feed on Annona lawii, Cinnamomum macrucarpum, Magnolia grandiflora, Michelia champaca, Miliusa tomentosum and Polyalthia longifolia  (Annonaceae, Lauraceae, Magnoliaceae)   

LIFE CYCLE


MORE IMAGES                                                                                      

Photo:Baiju K
                                                                                                    

Common Jay
Photographer: Pradeep Krishnan


Common Jay
Photographer: Anila Manalil

കേരള വനം വന്യജീവി വകുപ്പ്  
മാങ്കുളം ഡിവിഷൻ








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