Early Stages of Psyche butterfly

The female butterfly lay eggs singly on the underside of the leaves of host plant. Initially, the egg is in bluish green color and changes to pale yellow when matured. It takes about 3 days to hatch.

Eggs of the Psyche butterfly

Early Stages of Common Mormon

Common Mormon; Egg to first instar

The egg takes about 3-3.5 days to mature. The head of the young caterpillar is faintly visible when it is fully matured and the caterpillar eats the top of the egg shell to come out and then eats the rest as its first meal.

Early Stages of Mottled Emigrant

The egg hatches after about 2-3 days and the caterpillar emerged shows a white color for about 1 hour and turns to greenish color with a transparent body. The initial length of the first instar caterpillar is about 3mm which gradually grows up to 5mm within 1-2 days. 

Early Stages of Glassy Tiger

Glassy Tiger; Female butterfly resting on young shoot of its host plant

The female butterfly lay eggs singly on the immature leaves of larval host plant; Dregea volubilis [Linn.f.]. Freshly laid eggs are nearly oval in shape with slightly pointed end. It is often laid on underside of the leaves or young shoots of the larval food plant.

Glassy Tiger; Development of egg

Early Stages of Common Leopard

The larva of Leopard butterfly usually feeds on immature to middle age leaves of host plant.

The female butterfly lays eggs on the immature leaves or young shoots of host plant. It takes about 2-3 days to hatch. The newly hatched caterpillar eats its egg shell as the first meal. It (which is not shown here), is having a black head capsule and yellowish body. Initially its body length is around 1.5 mm which increases up to 3- 3.2 mm before moulting to 2nd instar. It takes about 2 days for 1st instar caterpillar to reach the second instar. 

2nd and 3rd instar caterpillars of Leopard butterfly

Early stages of Common Cerulean

The female butterfly oviposits eggs on the stems of host plant and the eggs are laid singly near the flower buds. Eggs are having round shape and light bluish color in appearance.

Egg to 3rd instar caterpillar of Common Cerulean

Early Stages of Plain Tiger butterfly

Freshly emerged Plain Tiger butterfly: Female

Male Plain Tiger butterfly

Eggs of Plain Tiger butterflies are laid singly on the underside of leaves of the host plant. Eggs hatch after about 3 days. The caterpillar usually feeds on immature leaves of the host plant and it takes about 10 to 15 days to develop from 1st instar to final instar.

Common Jezebel (Delias eucharis)

Family - Pieridae

Subfamily - Pierinae

Larval food plants : Members of family Loranthaceae

Wingspan of adult butterfly : 65-85 mm

Location : Divulapitiya, Western province, Sri Lanka

Common Jezebel

Tamil Yeoman (Cirrochroa thais)

Family : Nymphalidae

Genus : Cirrochroa

Wingspan of adult butterfly : 60-75 mm

Tamil Yeoman butterfly

Tamil Yeoman is the only member of genus Cirrochroa recorded in Sri Lanka. Larval host plants are known as the members of family Flacourtiaceae.
Can be found throughout the island specially up to 1200 meters above sea level and is common in forest areas. The male butterfly feeds on wet soil to intake minerals after mating. It is easy to reach these butterfly when feeding and basking on leafs.

Baron (Euthalia aconthea)

Family : Nymphalidae

Genus : Euthalia

Species : Euthalia aconthea

Wingspan of adult butterfly : 70-75 mm

Larval food plant : Mangifera indica

Location : Divulapitiya, Western province, Sri Lanka

Baron : Male

Nigger (Orsotriaena medus cinerea)

Family : Nymphalidae

Genus : Orsotriaena

Wingspan of adult butterfly : 45-55 mm

Local larval host plants : Family Poaceae

Location : Divulapitiya, Sri Lanka

Nigger butterfly

White Four-ring (Ypthima Ceylonica)

Family : Nymphalidae

Genus : Ypthima

Local host plants : Family Poaceae

Location : Divulapitiya, Sri Lanka

White four-ring butterflies

Common Palmfly (Elymnias hypermnestra)

Is a member of family Satyridae. Wingspan of adult butterfly is around 70mm. Female and male butterflies have distinct patterns on both upperside and underside of their wings.Fast flying adults are usually difficult to capture on camera. 

Local host plants are members of Arecaceae; Coconut (Cocos nucifera), Yellow Cane Palm (Dypsis lutescens), Slender Lady Palm (Rhapis humilis)

It is common to find the adult butterflies wandering around its host plants and nectaring plants. 

Common Palmfly : Female 

Common Bushbrown (Mycalesis perseus)

As its name implies, this a very common butterfly which belongs to family Satyridae. It has two distinct forms for wet and dry seasons.

Psyche (Leptosia nina nina)

Family : Pieridae

Sub-family : Pierinae

Genus : Leptosia

Wingspan : 25-30 mm

Local host plant : Fringed Spider Flower (Cleome rutidosperma)

Location : Divulapitiya, Sri Lanka

Psyche butterfly

Apefly (Spalgis epius epius)

Apefly, is a small butterfly belongs to family Lycaenidae. Its caterpillar feeds on mealy bugs. Pupa is having a unique shape which resembles the face of an ape. It can be commonly seen near the caterpillar's food source. 

Common sailor (Neptis hylas)

Genus: Neptis Fabricius, 1807
Species: hylas Linnaeus, 1758
Subspecies: papaja Moore, 1875

Wingspan : 50mm

Common Sailor butterfly

Danaid Eggfly (Hypolimnas misippus)

Family : Nymphalidae

Sub-family: Nymphalinae

Genus : Hypolimnas

Local host plants : Minnie Root (Ruellia tuberosa, Acanthaceae), Chinese Violet (Asystasia gangetica, Acanthaceae)

Location : Divulapitiya, Sri Lanka. 

Danaid Eggfly

Plain tiger/ African Monarch (Danaus chrysippus)

Family : Nymphalidae

Sub-family : Danainae

Genus : Danaus Kluk, 1802

Species : chrysippus Linnaeus, 1758

Wingspan : 70-80mm

Location : Divulapitiya, Sri Lanka

Camera : Nikon D3100,18-55mm

Common Mormon (Papilio polytes)

Family : Papilionidae

Genus : Papilio

Species : P. polytes

Wingspan : 90-100mm

Location : Divulapitiya, Sri Lanka

Camera : Nikon D3100, 18-55 mm

Common Mormon Female form: Cyrus