A trip to the wonderland of Butterfly with young photographer Basudeb Goswami

A wonderful collection of pretty butterflies behind the camera by Basudeb Goswami

Common Name : Grey Pansy

Bengali Name : Chadonari

Scientific Name : Precis atlites (Linnaeus)

Family : NYMPHALIDAE

Wingspan : 55 – 65 mm

Colour : Creamish-Grey with brown lines and a row of black spots near the wing margin.

Habit : Commonly found in the rain-fed open regions, near water-bodies and along the foothill. This butterfly is fond of flowers particularly the marigolds.

 Butterfly spreading wings under the Sun

Common Name : Blue Tiger

Bengali Name : Himalkuchi

Scientific Name : Tirumala limniace (Butler)

Family : NYMPHALIDAE

Wingspan : 90 – 100 mm

Colour : Dark brown to black with blue markings.

Habit : Large, showy and slow-flying. Fond of wet soil and nectar. Relishes nectar from hedges of exotics such as Cosmos, Tagetes and Lantana. Wings are closed over the back while the butterfly feeds.

Pretty butterfly  in romance with nature

Common Name : Great Eggfly
Bengali Name : Jamuy
Scientific Name : Hypolimnas bolina (Linnaeus)
Family : NYMPHALIDAE
Wingspan : 70 – 110 mm
Colour : The iridescent, bluish white, egg shaped markings on the upperwing surface make the male of this species a handsome insect.
Habit : Found in open areas, forest clearings and paths. The male is highly territorial and patrols to and fro, chasing away any butterfly that comes into his territory.
Larval Host Plants : Portulaca oleracea, Abelmoschus sp., Barleria sp., Sida rhombifolia, Hibiscus sp. etc.
left(female)
right (male)

The black beauty butterfly

Common Name : Plain Tiger

Bengali Name : Tamath

Scientific Name : Danaus chrysippus (Linnaeus)

Family : NYMPHALIDAE

Wingspan : 70 – 80 mm

Colour : This is a tawny with black apex, body is black, spotted with white. The hindwing has three small black spots approximately at the centre.

Habit : The most familiars butterfly in Indian gardens, basically a butterfly of open plains. It is protected against attacks from avian and reptilian predators by virtue of palatable alkaloids it ingests during its larval stage. Flight is slow and laborious. While basking, it rests close to the ground, on small bushes etc.

Larval Host Plants : Calotropis gigantea, Asclepias curassavica

Beautiful butterfly in the lap of nature

Common Name : Striped Albatross

Bengali Name : Dhulkapas

Scientific Name : Appias libythea (Swinhoe)

Family : PIERIDAE

Wingspan : 50 – 60 mm

Colour : Dusky white to yellowish with black or brown stripes. Two forms are found (i) libythea & (ii) Olferna

Habit : Habit is more like Common Gull and Pioneer; they are fond of flowers like Lantana, Eupatorium etc., flies fast, males often seen drinking water from wet soil; found in dry deciduous forest and in bushy undergrowth of scrub jungles

The white beauty kissing the purple flower

Common Name : Dark Palm Dart

Bengali Name : Tirap

Scientific Name : Telicota ancilla (Moore)

Family : HESPERIIDAE

Wingspan : 34 – 36 mm

Colour : Black butterfly with orange bands on the forewings.

Habit : Flies very strongly and swiftly. Basks in the morning, sitting low on the grass-blades or bushes. Its proboscis is falirly long and therefore it has access to flowers with long corolla tubes, such as Andrographis, Lantana, Tridax etc.

Butterfly kissing the flower

Common Name : Lime

Bengali Name : Ruru

Scientific Name : Papilio demoleus (Linnaeus)

Family : PAPILIONIDAE

Wingspan : 80 – 100 mm

Colour : Black and yellow butterfly with a slight tooth on hind wings.

Habit : One of the most widely distributed butterflies; fast-flier; hovers briefly to feed on flowers. Visits flowers as well as damp patches.

Black Beauty on the floor of nature

Common Name : Rounded/Striped Pierrot

Bengali Name : Tilkusi

Scientific Name : Tarucus nara (Kol.)

Family : LYCAENIDAE

Wingspan : 24 – 28 mm

Colour : White with black spots and border; upper side violet blue with narrow black border.

Habit : Found in open areas and thinly wooded areas. Visits flowers, damp patches, fond of sunshine; it basks particularly after the rains

Dancing on the flower

Common Name : Peacock Pansy

Bengali Name : Nayan

Scientific Name : Junonia almana (Linnaeus)

Family : NYMPHALIDAE

Wingspan : 60 – 65 mm

Colour : Coppery yellow with peacock colour at the centre with yellow and black rings around it.

Habit : One of the commonest and beautiful butterflies of India. Found in open cultivated areas, as well as in the jungle clearings and paths. Behaviour is highly territorial; chases away any intruder. Visits various flowers like Lantana, Tridax etc

Royally  dressed butterfly

Common Name : Painted Jezebel

Scientific Name : Delias hyparete (Linnaeus)

Family : PIERIDAE

Wingspan : 72 – 88 mm

Colour : Almost identical to Common Jezebel, but more lightly marked.

Habit : Status- uncommon, It occurs in wooded country, found in lower hills, flight is slow.

Nature gets a new look with this pretty beautiful

Common Name : Lemon Pansy

Bengali Name : Ushum

Scientific Name : Junonia lemonias (Linnaeus)

Family : NYMPHALIDAE

Wingspan : 45 – 60 mm

Colour : Dark brown with eye-like markings with orange rings.

Habit : Visits various species of flowers, found almost throughout the year. Very bold butterfly, often seen basking. Shows strong territorial and aggressive behaviour.

Princely Look

Common Name : Longbanded Silverline

Scientific Name : Spindasis lohita (Horsfield)

Family : LYCAENIDAE

Wingspan : 30 – 42 mm

Colour : UN creamy yellow to cinnamon red, silvery lines edged prominently with black to red.

Habit : Swift flier, flies in sunshine and often seen perched among shrubs along the road. Comes to flowers. Prefers forest with heavy rainfall.

Butterfly dancing on the flower