Butterfly

Danaid Eggfly

Hypolimnas misippus

Protected under India's Wildlife (Protection) Act

Male Danaid Eggfly, velvety black with a large white patch on each wing

Scientific name: Hypolimnas misippus
Family: Nymphalidae, order Lepidoptera
Group: Butterfly
Wingspan: 55 to 85 mm

Male and female look like two different butterflies.

Spot it The male is velvety blue-black with one big white oval on each wing. The female is orange with a black, white-banded tip.
Home Gardens, fields and damp ground; it often rests on flowers or wet soil.
Caterpillar food Purslane, Abutilon, hibiscus and sweet potato leaves.
Why it matters A living lesson in mimicry, and a pollinator of garden flowers.

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