Ceylon Blue Glassy Tiger (Ideopsis similis similis) 3 September 2019. Amami Nature Forest
Observatory, Amami-Oshima Island, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan.
![]() The English name is a bit of a misnomer as this Nymphalid is widespread in Southeast Asia while its range in Sri Lanka is limited to the southwest portion of the island. In Japan it is found primarily on the Ryukyu Archipelago. The larva feed on members of the milkweed and dogbane families rendering them poisonous to predators. Other non-poisonous butterflies mimic them, a strategy known as Müllerian mimicry. When they settle on flowers, they usually adopt a hang-up position as seen here. This is the nominate race found in China, southern Japan and Taiwan. Canon PowerShot SX60 HS. |