Nilgiri tit Butterfly

About Nilgiri tit Butterfly:

• It belongs to the family Lycaenidae.
• It was first described in 1884 from Coonoor in the Nilgiris, it has since been recorded in Sri Lanka.
• It was also found in Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary of Idukki district, and Silent Valley National Park of Palakkad district in Kerala.
• Appearance
  • The male is dark reddish purple-brown on the upper side. It has two black spots capped in orange near the tails. The female is pale brown.
• Habitat: They inhabit forests and lush home gardens, especially those with orchids. 
• It was noted to lay its eggs on the inflorescence (complete flower head) of the larval host plant, Eulophia epidendraea, a terrestrial orchid species.
• This is the first known record of the butterfly using this particular species of plant as a host.
• This terrestrial orchid was found on rocky slopes in humid areas.
• This endemic butterfly is classified under Schedule II of the Wildlife Protection Act.