| Actual Image
TAWNY LOVE (104)
Mana
![Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1757 W: 26 N: 5133]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-s-g.gif) (16804) | Today I post these two beautiful butterflies making love and planning for the future. The difference in colour of the male and female is quite distinct here. Actually I am studying their mating behaviour just after coming out from the pupa, of which I have a photo. I will post it later after I go into the details. If anyone has any knowledge about this phenomenon please let me know. Shot taken hand-held in cloudy conditions, hope everyone like it.
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The Tawny Coster (Acraea terpsicore) is a small leathery winged butterfly which is common in grassland and scrub habitats. It belongs to the Nymphalidae or brush-footed butterfly family. It has a weak fluttery flight. It is avoided by most insect predators. This is a butterfly of the hills as well as the plains. It is plentiful in the pre-monsoon and monsoon period and becomes scarce later on.
The butterfly exudes an oily and smelly yellow liquid when handled and is unpalatable to birds and most insects. They are well protected and have a slow and weak flight, frequently visiting flowers and are easily netted. There are no mimics in India. They breed on plants of the family Loganiaceae and species of Passiflora many of which contain toxins that are sequestered by the caterpillars.
The butterfly is found in India and Sri Lanka. It is common all the year round and is equally at home in forest clearings and open country. Though mainly seen at low elevations it has been recorded at heights of up to 7000 feet in south India and sometimes in the North.
Scientific classification -
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Acraeinae
Genus: Acraea
Species: A. terpsicore |
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