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

Common Jezebel is a member of family Pieridae and is sun loving butterfly which can be seen throughout the day. It prefers many habitats including scrub lands, towns, open areas and wherever the host plants are available. Larval host plants are known as members of family Loranthaceae. 

Female butterflies can be found flying high among the trees in searching for host plants. Both male and female Common Jezebel butterflies are common visitors to flower bushes as blue snakeweed and lanata camara.

Common Jezebel butterflies prefer to be in closed wing position when resting on leaves.

Field observations on courtship behavior

Common Jezebel: Male and Female butterflies

Underside of the male butterfly (on right) is much paler than the female (on left) and is with more white background.

It is common to find more than two butterflies of both sexes visiting flower bushes specially in the morning sunlight. Male butterflies chase the females, following them place to place to persuade the females for mating. Male butterflies fly with their raised abdomen and releasing pheromones. 

As usual, the female butterflies reject males for number of times by raising the abdomen and inverted wings. This happens repeatedly for several hours until the female accepts the invitation.