Bhutanitis lidderdalii
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| iBhutan Glory | ||||||||||||||
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| Bhutanitis lidderdalii Atkinson, |
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Armandia lidderdali |
The Bhutan Glory, Bhutanitis lidderdalii, is a species of swallowtail native to India. It belongs to the Bhutanitis genus , spectacular and much sought after members of the Swallowtail (Papilionidae) family. It is not rare.
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[edit] Description
Description from Bingham, C. T (1907) Fauna of British India. Butteflies Volume 2.
- Male and female. Upperside dull black. Forewing with the following ochraceous white slender markings: basal, sub-basal, medial and preapical lines from costa across cell, the first three continued in a series of more or less diffuse curves to the dorsal margin, the preapical terminates on vein 3; beyond apex of cell a somewhat broken transverse line from costa to vein 3 followed by a complete discal transverse line, a short upper postdical somewhat ill-defined line that terminates on vein 4 and a subterminal complete line; all the lines except those that cross the cell formed of a series of short curved lines in the interspaces. Hind wing with similar ochraceous white lines more or less in continuation of those on the forewing with the addition of a broad line along vein 1 and the median vein, these two lines do not reach much beyond the base of vein 4; a large lower discal patch, the inward half scarlet, the outer half velvety-black, followed by broad subterminal bright yellow lunules in interspaces 1 to 4; the tails edged very narrowly with ochraceous white; the black on the outer half of the discal patch has in interspaces 1 and 2 very large ill-defined superposed white spots thickly shaded with brownish grey except along their inner margins. Underside similar, all the markings broader, base of cell in hindwing crossed by a short ochraceous-white bar, and the edges of the precostal cell with narrow lines of the same colour. Antennae black; head, thorax and abdomen dull black; the thorax greenish grey laterally, the sides of the abdomen with cross-lines of ochreous white.
- Expanse: 115-116 mm
- Habitat: Bhutan, Assam, the Naga Hills, Upper Burma, the Chin Hills. Mr. Doherty found this beautiful insect in considerable numbers in the Naga hills. Speaking of its habits and the localities in which it occurs, he says:"It generally keeps to the ridges, occasionally descending into the valley, once almost down to 5000 feet. Afterwards I found it on the western side of Japoo at 7000-8000 feet, and between the two places we got one or two every day. At Mas, in Manipur, I have taken worn specimens at 7500-9000 feet. My Lepchas, who collected at Buxa in Bhutan, say there is no chance of another brood.... The butterfly drifts about among the tree tops, rarely descending to the ground; the crimson of the hind wings is not so conspicuous as one might think, and if one loses sight of it for an instant, it is very hard to make out again, its transparent dark grey wings being hardly distinguishable among the shadows, and it is blown about by the wind more like a dead leaf than a living insect. Its flight is much like that of Hestia but less buoyant and circling, as might be expected from its angular wings; nevertheless its resemblance strikes once. Seen from above it must be much more conspicuous and in no doubt a protected insect; at the same time its weak flight may even add to its chance of escape as it certainly does with Hestia, for it is impossible to calculate the direction in which it is making. The whole body and wings give out a delicious odour, which remains for some days after death. In some positions and at some distance Armandia looks like Danais tytia, Gray, which is very common in the same places. Armandia hovers about flowers like other Papilios. During rain it alights on a leaf and droops its forewings over the hindones, thus covering the bright colours." The late Capt. Watson, who recorded this insect from the Chin Hills in Burma states that it is single-brooded. Mr. Doherty however, in the Naga Hills, took several specimens in good condition towards the end of September, so that apparently there is an autumn brood in some localities.
[edit] Distribution
The butterfly is found in Bhutan and Northern India (Assam, Sikkim, Manipur and Nagaland). It is also found in Northern Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand and Szechwan and Yunnan provinces of China.
[edit] Status
The Bhutan Glory is widely distributed and hence unlikely to be in danger at the moment. However, it is extensively collected for trade in Thailand. Deforestation is a major threat to the butterfly. More information is needed on the species. The nominate subspecies is protected under law in India.
[edit] Habitat
Flies from 5000 to 9000 feet in its Indian range. Generally keeps to the ridges rather than the valleys.
[edit] Habits
Flies at tree-top, with a slow, drifting, unpredictable flight akin to that of Tree Nymph Hestia lynceus. The butterflies transparent grayish underside makes it difficult to distinguish in the shadows. During rain, it sits on leaves with the forewings drooped over the hindwings, concealing its bright upper colouration. The butterfly has a habit of hill-topping and visits flowers of diverse species.
[edit] Lifecycle
Known to have two broods - the first in May-Jun and the second from Aug to Oct. Likely to be unpalatable due to its foodplant being Aristolochiae spp. The body and wings are recorded to have a pleasant odour.
[edit] Foodplant
Aristolochia griffithi
[edit] References
- Collins, N.M. & Morris, M.G. (1985) Threatened Swallowtail Butterflies of the World. IUCN. ISBN 2-88032-603-6
- Evans, W.H. (1932) The Identification of Indian Butterflies. (2nd Ed), Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, India
- Gay,Thomas; Kehimkar,Isaac & Punetha,J.C.(1992) Common Butterflies of India. WWF-India and Oxford University Press, Mumbai, India.
- Haribal, Meena (1994) Butterflies of Sikkim Himalaya and their Natural History.
- Wynter-Blyth, M.A. (1957) Butterflies of the Indian Region, Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, India.
