Butterflies ‹‹ Go Back

This species belongs to the Danaid group of the Nymphalidae family and is found through out the South Asian countries and in Australia. Fifteen subspecies have been recognized and the one found in Sri Lanka is referred to as Euploea core asela Moore.

The conservation status of this species is regarded as Least Concerned (National Red List 2012).

This is a species protected under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance as amended by Act No. 22 of 2009.

The Common Crow is one of the most common butterfly species in the country and can be found through out the country in all typed of habitats including cities and the forests alike. I have seen them form the highest altitudes to the shore. This is a species that is not preyed upon by birds due to the toxins found in their bodies. This enables these butterflies to conserve energy by flying slow in their daily pursuits of visiting flowers and finding mates etc. These butterflies are often seen congregating on Eth Honda Heliotropium indicum and Adanahiriya Crotalaria palida plants in order to extract the Danaidone toxin, which is used in their courtship.

Being such a common species they have a multitude of flora species used as their host plant belonging to the Apocynaceae and Moraceae including a number of Ficus species such as Ficus religiosa, Benghalensis and Benjamina and the common Oleander.

This is a very commonly found butterfly in Wilpattu and can often be seen feeding on the flowers of the common Podi Singo Maran Chromolaena odorata weeds.