The
Common Mime is relatively common in Singapore, and can be seen both in
the nature reserves and also in urban areas. The caterpillar of the
species feed on Cinnamomum species. The butterfly mimics the
distasteful Danainae species for protection against predators.
Indeed, when it flutters around flowers, feeding, it mimics the slow and
graceful flight of the Blue Glassy Tiger and Dark Glassy Tiger to fool
predators into thinking that it is one of the distasteful species.
In Singapore, only the black-and-white
striped form-dissimilis of the species occurs. We have not
observed the other brown forms of the Common Mime here.
The pupa of the species resembles
a broken twig and is believed to depend on this camouflage to escape predation
and parasitism during this vulnerable stage of its life history. |