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Common Name: Common Tiger
- Danaus genutia
Identification
- Wingspan 72-100 mm.
- Both sexes are tawny with bold, black veins.
- Black border with white dots, that are elongated at apex.
- Under is similar but paler in color than upper-wing.
Distribution
- India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and upto Australia
- Closely resembles Monarch Butterfly of Americas.
- Called Striped Tiger in India.
Taxonomy
Habitat
- Variety of habitats, from thick to light forest, scrub and open country.
- Visits garden for flowers.
Behaviour
- Shares communal roosts.
- Displays migratory behavior.
- Comes to water occasionally.
- Slow flight, close to ground.
Mimicry
- Non-edible.
- Leopard Lacewing (m&f), Tamil Lacewing (m&f) and Common Palmfly (f) species mimic it.
Larval Food Plants
- Feeding on some plants helps larvae to accumulate some poisonous alkaloids to make the species no-edible.
- Some plant species are : Asclepias currassavica, Ceropegia sp., Stephanotis sp. and Tylophora tenuis.
References
- Kehimkar, Isaac. The Book of Indian Butterflies. 2011 Reprint. Bombay Natural History Society. Oxford Univ. Press. ISBN (13): 978019569620 2
- Nelson, Rodrigues. Butterflies of Mumbai. MMR Environment Improvement Society. Anitha Art Printers. ISBN-978-81-926884-0-4
- Wikipedia page Common Tiger Butterfly
