Plain Tiger

Plain Tiger

Danaus chrysippus chrysippus (Linnaeus) DANAIDAE

(=Danais chrysippus ( Linnaeus))

Adult

Upperside reddish brown with black borders in both wings and black apex in FW. FW with variable number of white spots in the costa and apex. HW with 4 small black spots around the cell in Male and 3 in female and a pouch in male.

Underside dull orange. FW dark brown in the upper half with white spots in the black area and HW with six black spots. Wingspan 70-80mm.

Also known as the African Monarch, the African Queen, the Lesser Wanderer and the AK Butterfly, it is the commonest of all Indian butterflies and the strongest flier of the genus Danaus. Found throughout the country, including the deserts and in the hills up to 3000m. flies in an undulating fashion and generally remains on wing for considerably longer periods. The female of the danaid eggfly, Hypolimnas misippus; the Leopard Lacewing, Cethosia cyane and the Indian Fritillary, Argyreus hyperbius hybrida mimic this butterfly. Visits flowers of Lantana, Fiddle-leaved Jatropha, Ceylon Carissa, Common Zinnia, Celosia pyramidalis, Aztec Marigold, Sunflower, Bachelor’s Button, Pink Cocks’ comb, Sweet Sultan, Floss flower, Radish, Lucerne, Berseem, Bougainvillea, Vipersbugloss, Zinnia pumila, Z.harmony, Emillia aurea etc.

Larva

Pale bluish grey with five transverse black and yellow bands in each segment, lateral yellow bands and a pair of black, fleshy filaments on 3,6 and 12th segments, filaments crimson at the base.

Feeds mainly on milkweeds ( Asclepiadaceae) many of which have secondary chemicals ( cardenolides: heart poisons) bitter or emetic to browsing vertebrates. Especially on Madar, Swallowwort, Blood flower, French Tamarisk, Rocket-salad, Asclepias semilunata, etc.

Distribution

India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, iran, turkey, Syria, south-eastern Europe, Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius, sri lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, china, japan, Australia, fiji and new guinea.