Indian Jezebel - Delias eucharis

There are about 225 described species in the genus Delias. The butterflies are popularly known as Jezebels. Most species are gaudily patterned in red, yellow, black and white - the colours serving to advertise their unpalatable nature to would-be predators.

Indian Jezebel is nomadic in behavior and can be found in a wide variety of habitats including temperate hill forest, tropical rainforest, dry open woodland and beach hinterlands. This species is one of the contenders and only representative from Pieridae family for National Butterfly India Polls 2020

It is a common species in flowery gardens, and commonly visits flowering bushes in towns. The butterfly can be found at altitudes between sea level and at least 1500m. It has a wingspan 70-80 mm and can be found flying from tree to tree on sunny mornings. Their food plants are usually parasites from Loranthaceae family known as mistletoes and hence spend much of their lives high in the treetops of variety of tree species. Their nectaring plants are usually Lantana ( Verbenaceae ), Mentha ( Lamiaceae ), and other flowers and often can be seen fluttering swiftly from garden to garden, pausing here and there for a moment to sip the nectar

Posted on September 18, 2020 05:11 AM by kedartambe