Blue Tiger

Blue Tiger Butterfly

Tirumala limniace exoticus Gmelin

DANAIDAE

( =  Danaus limniace leopardus ( Butler ))

Tirumala limniace exoticus Gmelin - Blue Tiger

(=Danaus limniace leopardus ( Butler )) Danaidae

Adult : Upperside black with irregular pale blue streaks and marginal spots. Underside golden brown. FW with black basal area

Male

With a pendulous pouch. Wingspan 90-100mm.

One of the commonest butterflies in India, both in plains and in hills except the deserts and higher altitutes. A slow flier, flutters the wings majestically in the wooded places and hedges. While alighting on a flower, flutters its wings vigorously and while sipping nectar, keeps the wings spread motionless. Fond of flowers of pink Cocks’comb, Aztec Marigold, Lucerne, Lantana, Heliotrope, Sunnhemp etc.

Larva:

Pale green to yellowish white. Segments ringed with 4 black lines, black-edged yellow lateral band and a pair of long pale green, black-tipped fleshy filaments on segments 3 and 12.

Feeds mostly on plants of Asclepiadaceae, especially Madar Rajmahal Hemp, Common Waxlant, Emetic Swallowwort, Dregea Volubilis, etc.

Distribution

India, srilanka, Pakistan, China, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Thailand.