Zebra Blue

January 2, 2010 at 10:29 am (Butterflies)

Leptotes plinius

The Zebra Blue or Plumbago Blue (Leptotes plinius) is a species of blue butterfly found in India.

Description

This form closely resembles in both sexes on the upperside Tarucus theophrastus, but the character and disposition of the markings on the underside are completely different. Male Upperside: dark violet with, in certain lights, a rich blue suffusion. Fore wing: no discocellular black spot so conspicuous in T. theophrastus; terminal margin with a narrow edging of fuscous black, widest at the apex, gradually decreasing to the tornus, followed by an inconspicuous anticiliary jet-black line. Hind wing : costal margin slightly but broadly shaded with fuscous, which is continued as a slender anticiliary black line to the tornus. Underside: white

Foodplants

Plants of the Legume family, Plumbaginaceae and some of the citrus family Rutaceae. Species include Glycine tomentella, Dyerophytum indicum, Indigofera suffruticosa, Lablab purpureus, Plumbago zeylanica, Rhynchosia tomentosa, Sesbania bispinosa, Tephrosia obovata, Ziziphus mauritiana, Indigofera argentea, Indigofera erecta, Medicago sativa and Toddalia asiatica

Larva

“Pale greenish yellow above, sides lilacine, a narrow brownish median line, followed by eight diagonal short streaks and six brownish-red spots. Before pupating the colouring gets much more diffused. Feeds among the flower-buds of Plumbago.