Introduction
There are 30 species in the genus Belenois, distributed variously across Africa, Arabia, the Indian subcontinent, south-east Asia and Australia.
Belenois aurota has a range extending across sub-Saharan Africa (including Madagascar) and Arabia to the Indian subcontinent, and also occurs north of the Himalayas in Turkmenia and Tajikistan.
The illustrated subspecies taprobana is endemic to Sri Lanka and is much brighter in color than the other subspecies, which are generally creamy or whitish on the underside.
Habitats
This species is found primarily in fairly arid habitats including deserts, steppes and thorn scrub, at altitudes between sea level and about 1200m.
Lifecycle
The larval foodplants include Capparis, Maerua and Boscia.
Adult behaviour
This beautiful butterfly is seen commonly in Acacia thorn scrub, savannah, and open dry woodlands. It is also a regular visitor to unkempt village gardens, where it can be seen perched on herbage or bushes, basking on hazy or slightly overcast days, with its wings half open. When the weather is hot and sunny it rarely settles, except when it occasionally pauses to nectar at Tridax or other flowers. As dusk approaches it seeks shelter amongst dense herbage, where it roosts overnight.
