Fluttering Darkness

A male Great Mormon butterfly takes a break from fluttering about in the Hajarikhil Wildlife Sanctuary in Fatikchhari. This fascinating species of butterfly is renowned not only for its large size and striking appearance but its unique behavioral traits and ecological significance. Widely distributed across South and Southeast Asia, the Great Mormon showcases a variety of forms that mark significant differences between the males and the females. The males typically have deep blue or black wings, sometimes with red streaks, while the females have sepia-colour forewings with different coloured streaks. The butterfly thrives in a range of environments and plays an important role in any ecosystem it inhabits – as pollinators as well a subject of study in evolutionary biology, owing to its complex mimicry -- its ability to deceive predators into thinking it's toxic by resembling species that genuinely are -- and its polymorphism.

PHOTO: KAMOL DAS