Himalayan Orange Oakleaf/Tamil Oakleaf

 Kallima inachus huegeli


Malayalam Name     

:

ഹിമാലയൻ ഓക്കില ശലഭം

Order 

:

Lepidoptera

Super Family            

:

Papilionoidae (Butterflies)

Family              

: 

Nympalidae

Sub Family

:

Nymphalinae

DISTRIBUTION :  Tropical Asia

STATUS: Not rare

HABITAT : 

HABITS 

The butterfly exhibits polyphenism, i.e. there are specific dry-season and wet-season forms which differ in colouration and size; the wet-season form tends to be smaller.

The orange oakleaf is a powerful flier and usually flies in dense forests with good rainfall, amongst undergrowth and along stream beds. It is attracted to tree sap and over-ripe fruit, and is also known to mud-puddle. 
when in danger the orange oakleaf flies erratically, soon dropping down into the foliage and occupying a stationary pose with wings closed, so that the birds are very often quite unable to find them. In such a pose, the butterfly resembles a dried leaf and is perfectly camouflaged 

IDENTIFICATION  FEATURES: 

The wingspan of the butterfly ranges from 85 to 110 millimetres. The resemblance to a dried leaf,when wings folded, is extremely realistic and gives the genus its common names, the oakleaf or dead leaf.

When the wings are open, the forewing exhibits a black apex, an orange discal band and a deep blue base. There are two white oculi, one along the margin of the apical black band, and the other bordering the orange and deep blue areas. The hindwing is more uniformly blue but diffused with brown patches along the termen.

SIMILAR SPECIES : 

LARVAL HOST PLANTS

Strobilanthes, Strobilanthes capitata (Acanthaceae), Persicaria orientalis (Polygonaceae), Prunus persica (Rosaceae), Girardinia diversifolia (Urticaceae)

LIFE CYCLE

MORE IMAGES





 Courtesy
Write up:Wikipaedia
Images: TNHS

കേരള വനം വന്യജീവി വകുപ്പ്  
മാങ്കുളം ഡിവിഷൻ

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