Common Nawab

Common Nawab

Polyura athamas athamas Drury NYMPHALIDAE

(=Eriboea athamas ( Drury))

Adult

Upperside black. Both wings have a broad, transverse pale sulphur-yellow discal band with greenish tinge. FW with a large apical yellow spot and a small dot beyond. HW bluish grey with 2 pointed tails, 2 rows of light and darker terminal yellow spots and a large blue-bordered yellow spot in the tornal angle. Underside discal band bordered with dark brown band and black lines on the inner side. FW with sub-terminal series of dark lunules. HW with dark red lunules and faint, marginal white and yellow spots. Wingspan 60-75mm.

Occurs in jungles or forested regions and open country, up to 1500 m in south India and Sri Lanka, and up to 3000 m in the Himalayas. Comes readily to animal dung, urine and dead crab than flowers. Basks usually on tree-tops but often comes down to tdamp patches. Settles down on low leaves with closed wings

Larva

Dark green. Head flat, hexagonal with 4 horns and a set of spines. Body with yellow bands.

Feeds on Sappan-wood, Dividivi, Molucca Bean, Caesalpinia nuga, Catechu, Acacia pennata, A. caesia, Kokko, Albizia julibrisin, A. molluccana, Coral Wood and other trees and climbing shrubs of Fabaceae.

Distribution

Most of the oriental region.