Rare butterfly Palmking spotted for the first time in Tamil Nadu

What is the News?

The rare butterfly Palmking (Amathusia phidippus) was sighted for the first time in Tamil Nadu.

What is Palmking (Amathusia phidippus)?

Palmking is a butterfly species that belongs to the Nymphalidae sub-family. It was first recorded in South India by British scientist H.S.Ferguson in 1891. More than a century later, it was rediscovered in 2007.

Characteristics: This butterfly is characterized by its brown colour and dark bands and is described as reclusive, mostly resting in the shade.

– It is not easy to spot a Palmking because its wood colour makes for easy camouflage, and it rarely spreads its wings.

Diet: Palmking feeds on palm, coconut and calamus varieties of plants.

Distribution: This butterfly is widely distributed across parts of India, Myanmar, Indo China, Peninsular Malaysia and Thailand. It is also found in the Indonesian archipelago and the Philippines.

– In India, Palmking sightings were recorded in the forests of Arippa, Shendurney, Periyar Tiger Reserve in the south of Western Ghats.

Source: This post is based on the article “Rare butterfly Palmking spotted for the first time in Tamil Nadu” published in The Hindu on 11th April 2022.