Common Castor

Common Castor

Ariadne merione merione Cramer NYMPHALIDAE

(=Ergolis merione ( Cramer))

Adult

upperside reddish brown with transverse black wavy lines. Wavy lines broader in the form of distinct bands in female. FW with small, white subapical costal spot and a series of obscure spots within the submarginal markings. Underside often pale and duller in colour, black wavy lines replaced by denser and siffuse brown bands. Subapical white spot prominent in FW. Wingspan 52-62mm.

A very active butterfly but weak on the wing. Flies graefully as if sailing through the air among the castor plants or any dense vegetation. Fond of resting on leaves at the top canopy, keeping the wings slowly moving sideways and always nearer to host plants. Also known as the castor butterfly.

Larva

Green. Head dark brown with a pair of straight reddish brown spines and the body with dorsal longitudinal brown stripe and 4 rows of short branched spines in each segment.

Feeds on castor ( main host ), Nettles, etc.

Distribution

India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Malaysia and Indonesia.