Common sailor (Neptis Hylas)
The Sailors, or Gliders as they are sometimes called, are all members of the genus Neptis - a large and confusing group of butterflies found across much of the world, excluding the Americas. They are noted for their characteristic sailing flight, and their shared theme of white spots and bars on a black background.
Neptis hylas,the common sailor,is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in the Indian subcontinent and southeast Asia.
Dry-season form has Upperside black, with pure white markings.
Wet-season form differs only in the narrowness of the white markings and in the slightly darker ground colour and broader black margins to the spots and bands on the underside.
The sexes look similar but the female is quite large.
It is active during most of the day except early morning and late afternoon. It eludes the heat by resting in closed wing position during the hot hours of the day, for otherwise it is found with open wings. It feeds on both flowers and fruits.
The butterfly has a distinct weak gliding / "sailing" flight which is different from the other black-and-white genus Athyma species, which have a more robust and stronger flying pattern.
It prefers sunny habitats such as parks, roadside vegetation, wastelands and scrublands.
Both sexes periodically alight to bask on the foliage of trees and bushes. Males sometimes imbibe moisture from damp ground, but like the females they are more often seen nectaring at flowers.
References :
https://www.dilmahconservation.org
http://www.butterflycircle.com
https://www.learnaboutbutterflies.com
Wikipedia
pictures:
Kerala (2019)
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