Dear Nature Lovers,
Greetings from oikos !
Common Jezebel is a member of family ‘Pieridae’ (Whites and Yellows).
Jezebels are patterned in red, yellow, black and white colour to advertise their unpalatable nature to predators.
Scientific name : Delias eucharis Drury
The most common butterfly.
Common Jezebel is omnipresent and active throughout the year.
It occurs in all types of habitats except very thick wet evergreen forests and grasslands where its larval host plants are scarce.
It is found only in Indian subcontinents and is common wherever it occurs.
It prefers to be in the canopy except when it is feeding on flowers of shrubs. Protected from predators by unpalatable alkaloids in its body tissues, it flies in a leisurely manner.
Flower nectar is the only nourishment it relishes, from Lantana spp (Verbenaceae), Lamiaceaeand other flowers.
During the morning hours the individuals may be seen basking on outstretched branches of tall trees with their wings closed as all the dark markings that absorb are on the underside of the wings.
Larval Food plants:
Dendrophthoe falcate, helicanthus elastica and Scurrula parasitica. These are plant parasites of Loranthaceae family.
बांडगुळ – Dendrophthoe spp.
Dendrophthoe species are semi-parasitic on tree trunks and branches. It can be easily spotted on the branches of trees as a dense cluster of small twigs bearing smooth broad leaves and long tubular flowers. |
