 The
Dark Glassy Tiger, like its close relative, The Blue Glassy Tiger (Ideopsis
vulgaris macrina), is a common butterfly is Singapore, and is even
abundant during certain seasons. It feeds on the "Milkweed" species like
Gymnema and Asclepias. As the butterfly is distasteful to
predators, it usually adopts a slow graceful and unhurried flight.
Its wings are striped with black
and blue, and the straight line in the forewing cell sets it apart from
the Blue Glassy Tiger, which has a hook in the cell. The males of this
species have special scent scales on the hindwing, presumably used during
courtship. Like many butterflies in the Danainae sub-family, the males
extrude a pair of yellow hair pencils when alarmed. |
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