Troides minos

Description from Charles Thomas Bingham (1907) The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma, Butterflies. Volume II. Male and female. Differs from Troides helena cerberus as follows. • Male: Hindwing: the black along the dorsal and terminal margins both on upper and undersides much broader; on the upperside entirely filling interspace 1, on the underside with only a narrow streak of yellow at the angle between the median vein and vein 2; the cone-shaped black markings on the terminal margin shorter and broader; on the costal margin the black is narrower than in cerberus, barely extended below vein 8 except at the base and apex of the wing where it broadens; the abdomen is dull yellow above and below not shaded with black. • Female: Hindwing: the black on the costal margin as in cerberus, but there is always a large yellow spot at base of interspace 7; interspace 1 black, with a pale patch in the middle; the black terminal border broader, the inwardly extended cone-shaped markings prominent, those in interspaces 2 and 3 with pale buff lateral edgings, extended inwards to the postdiscal spots. In both male and female the hindwing on the upperside is clothed with soft, silky, long brownish-black hairs from base along the dorsal area. ==Range==

Western Ghats and parts of the Eastern Ghats. ==Status==

The butterfly is locally very common in the southern and central Western Ghats covering the states of Karnataka and Kerala. Also found in southern Maharashtra and northern Goa where it is uncommon. Despite its restricted range and endemicity, the butterfly is not known to be threatened but the IUCN recommends continuous monitoring. ==Habitat==

Found up to in the Western Ghats. Found in diverse habitats from low-land evergreen forests near the coast to mixed deciduous forests, dry scrub and agricultural fields. ==Habits==

Active during early morning hours when both sexes feed in the forest on Lantana and diverse food plants. Later on, it is seen sailing as high as over the countryside until it descends later in the evening to feed again. It flies in a leisurely manner circling around jungle clearings and also frequents hill tops. A determined flier, it is known to cover very large distances before settling. The only food source is nectar, it also visits gardens and orchards and sips from domestic plants such as Mussaenda, Ixora and Lantana. ==Life cycle==

Though it flies all the year round, it is abundant in the during monsoon and post-monsoon periods. Eggs Spherical eggs laid singly on the edges of the undersides of young leaves and shoots. Larva Velvety maroon red with shiny black head and four rows of fleshy bright red tubercles. Grey markings on the back with a broad oblique pink white band on the 7th and 8th segments. These are heavily parasitised by tiny braconid wasps. Pupa Pale brown or green, marked with fine brown striations and minute markings. Found on the underside of leaves. If touched, it sways and makes hissing sounds. File:Southernbirdwinglarva 01 (2800940663).jpg|Larva File:Southernbirdwingpupa 01 (2801787966).jpg|Pupa File:Southernbirdwingpupa02 (2800939899).jpg|Pupa File:Sahyadri Birdwing.jpg|Imago (dorsal view) File:Troides minos 06643.jpg|Imago (ventral view) ==Food plants==

The larval host plants of these butterflies are small creepers and climbers of the family Aristolochiaceae such as Aristolochia indica, Aristolochia tagala, Thottea siliquosa and Bragantia wallichii The host plant toxins sequestered by the butterfly during its larval stage make it unpalatable to predators. Its flight and bright colouration advertise its unpalatability. ==Related species==

Troides minos is a member of the Troides aecus species group. The members of this clade are: • Troides aeacus C. & R. Felder, 1860 • Troides magellanus (C. & R. Felder, 1862) • Troides minos (Cramer, [1779]) • Troides rhadamantus (Lucas, 1835) • Troides dohertyi (Rippon, 1893) • Troides prattorum (Joicey & Talbot, 1922) ==See also==