Butterflies of
the Indian
subcontinent
Common
Jezebel
Delias eucharis
DRURY, 1773
Family - PIERIDAE
subfamily -
PIERINAE
Tribe - PIERINI
Delias
eucharis,
Weligaththa, Sri Lanka
Introduction
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 unpalateable nature to would-be predators.
Many of the species are highly localised, being endemic to
particular islands in south-east Asia, or restricted to certain
mountain ranges, e.g. in New Guinea. Others occupy much broader
ecological niches, and are more generally distributed.
Among the latter group are
hyparete which is distributed from
India to s.w. China, the Philippines, peninsular Malaysia,
Sumatra, Borneo, Java and Bali; and
eucharis which is found in India,
Burma and Sri Lanka.
D. eucharis and
hyparete
are similar in appearance, but can be told apart by the black
apical band on the forewing. In hyparete
the band forms an arc, and terminates at the tornus. In
eucharis the lower half of the band
runs parallel to the outer margin, and terminates part way along
the inner margin. There are also differences in the red markings
on the underside hindwings - in hyparete
these fuse together to form a suffused band, but in
eucharis they are separated into
distinct shield-shaped red spots.
Habitats
Delias eucharis is nomadic in
behaviour, and can be found in a wide variety of habitats
including temperate hill forest, tropical rainforest, dry open
woodland and beach hinterlands. 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.
Lifecycle
The larval foodplant is mistletoe -
Loranthus ( Loranthaceae ).
Adult behaviour
The butterflies
spend much of their lives high in the tree tops where their
larval foodplants
grow as parasites on a variety of tree species. They can often
be seen flying from tree to tree on sunny mornings. Periodically
however both sexes will descend and embark on a "nectaring run",
fluttering swiftly from garden to garden, pausing here and there
for a moment to sip the nectar of Lantana
( Verbenaceae ), Mentha ( Lamiaceae
), and other flowers. When nectaring, the wings are usually kept
fluttering to support the weight of the butterfly.
Delias
eucharis,
Mumbai, India
© Anand Narkevar
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