Clipper

Clipper

Parthenos Sylvia ( Cramer) NYMPHALIDAE

Adult

Upperside bright green. FW elongate and triangular with 2 broad, black streaks at the base and large, semi-transparent, black bordered white spots on the discal area followed by post-discal and terminal black bands. HW with subcostal white spots, black veins, basal and sub-basal black streaks, transverse series of black spots, discal dark brown or black paired streaks, post discal series of triangular spots and a terminal broad, dark band. Underside pale bluish green, without black streaks from the base but with less clearly defined other markings. Ground colur fades into ashy grey towards terminal margin. Wingspan 105-125mm.

It occurs in three races showing color variations.

Cyaneus: greenish grey ( Sri Lanka)

Virens : bronzy green ( South India )

Fambrisius : pale bluish green ( elsewhere)

The bronzy green form virens from south India is probably one of the finest of all Nymphalidae. Confined to thick jungles. Abundant in heavy rainfall areas up to 1000 m during September – February on the western ghats and up to 2000 m in sri lanka and at lower elevations in Bangladesh and Myanmar. Has a powerful and yet magnificent and graceful flight: a few quick beats of wings and then sailing for a short stretch with wings held well below the horizontal. Mostly flies high among the trees and then swoops strongly down close to the ground through short flights and then returns to the same perching point. Comes readily to wet patches during sunny hours but rarely to flowers like Chromolaena odorata.

Larva

Pale green with an yellowish white lateral stripe on either side. Head and anal segment with short, simple spines. Segments 3-12 with reddish brown, long branched spines; those on 3rd an 4th very long.

Feeds on plants of Passifloraceae, especially on Adenia hondala and Tinospora cordifolia.

Distribution

Entire oriental region and New Guinea.