Territorial and Courtship Behaviour of Indian Common Crow Butterfly (Euploea core core)

Abstract

The contest between conspecific males for mating opportunities is common among different species. Many species of butterfly defend a territory for the purpose of mating. In our study, the mating and courtship behaviour of the Indian common crow butterfly Euploea core core (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) was observed, which is a widely distributed native and important pollinator. Indian common crow butterfly defends a sunspot as territory for mating. When other butterflies come near or into the territory, a non-contact aerial interaction occurs between them. The owner of the territory excludes the intruders by chasing them out. Males of this butterfly species prefer a territory characterized by sunlight at the edge of woodland or open tracks in the forest containing host plants and oviposition sites near it. Indian common crow butterfly exhibits territorial activity throughout the day but is more frequent in the afternoon. The frequency of chasing for a longer duration is very low. The duration of chasing for the conspecific male is higher than that of heterospecific males. This is the first documentation about the territorial and courtship behaviour of Indian common crow butterflies. A new distribution record for the species has been reported as well. Such studies are essential not only to understand their behavioural patterns but also to understand their needs while planning conservation efforts.