Stripped Pierrot

 Tarucus nara  കുഞ്ഞിവരയൻ കോമാളി


Malayalam Name 

:

കുഞ്ഞിവരയൻ കോമാളി

Family 

:

Lycaenidae

Sub-family             

:

Polyommatinae

Tribe                     

: 

Leptociaini

Order

:

Lepidoptera


DISTRIBUTION
               Peninsular India
STATUS:   Not common
HABITAT
They are found in semi-arid plains, degraded patches of evergreen patches, and semi-evergreen forest, gardens, hill stations and forests—in fact, wherever its food plant, Kalanchoe, is abundant.
HABITS
Tarucus ananda is associated with Crematogaster ants
IDENTIFICATION  FEATURES
Small size Black and white butterfly with wingspan 25-30 mm. 

 

SIMILAR SPECIES  Continental Common Pierrot
LARVAL HOST PLANTS
Ziziphus jujuba, Z. nummularia (Rhamnaceae)

LIFE CYCLE


MORE IMAGES

Male
Female

Female




Courtesy 
Write up:Wikipaedia
Images: TNHS

കേരള വനം വന്യജീവി വകുപ്പ്  
മാങ്കുളം ഡിവിഷൻ

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