Introduction
There are 10 Heliophorus species, of which androcles, which occurs from Sikkim to western China, is the most dramatic. It has an underside similar to brahma, but on the upperside of the male, the basal area of the forewings is a dazzling iridescent blue in the wet season form, and a shimmering metallic green in the dry season form.
Heliophorus brahma occurs in India, Burma, Thailand, Bhutan and China.
Habitat
This species is found mainly in disturbed forest edge habitats including roadsides and wide grassy forest tracks. It is found at elevations between about 500-2000m.
Lifecycle
To be completed.
Adult behaviour
Both sexes can be found around bushes and herbage in full sunlight in forest edge habitats. They are hairstreak-like in behaviour – the males spending long periods perched on bushes. Males also settle on damp soil, sometimes in two’s or three’s or in company with Heliophorus epicles. In warm hazy conditions both sexes bask on herbage with wings almost fully outspread.
