Giant Orange Tip or Hebomoia glaucippe

There are 330 varieties of butterflies in Kerala, to add to the amazing beauty of the fauna here. Of these, 37 are native to the region and the rest are migratory.

Giant Orange Tip or Great Orange Tip (Hebomoia glaucippe) is found in forests, hills and areas of heavy rainfall. They are rare in open plains.

The upper side of Giant Orange Tips is white. On the apical half of the forewings, there is a large black edged orange patch, traversed by black veins and a series of black triangular spots. The hind wings have a prominent black costal spot. The underside of the forewing has a white base and brown or reddish mottled apex. The mottling on the hind wings is dark. Wingspan is 80- 100mm.

Giant Orange Tips are swift flyers and always fly high above the ground. When settled down, they resemble a dead leaf and are hard to locate. They are avid mud puddlers and are often seen following river systems. They can be seen in almost all the oriental regions.

Courtesy: http://birdwingtours.com/