Kingdom Animalia Order Lepidoptera Genus Tirumala Rank Species | Phylum Arthropoda Family Nymphalidae Higher classification Tirumala | |
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Similar Butterfly, Tirumala, Butterflies and moths, Insect, Nymphalidae | ||
Blue tiger tirumala hamata
Tirumala hamata, the blue tiger, dark blue tiger or blue wanderer, is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family. It is found in South-East Asia and Australia. In Australia, the butterflies perform mass migrations to the south in some years.
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The wingspan is about 70 mm. Adults have black wings with blue spots. They are grey with black bands between segments and orange lateral lines and a black head with white markings. Adults have been observed scratching the leaves of Heliotropium amplexicaule and Parsonia straminea, possibly to suck out moisture.
The larvae feed on a wide range of plants including Parsonsia (including Parsonsia straminea and Parsonsia velutina), Heterostemma papuana, Heterostemma acuminatum, Hoya australis, Leichardtia, Marsdenia (including Marsdenia velutina), Secanome carnosum, Secamone elliptica, Tylophora, Cryptostegia grandiflora, Cynanchum carnosum and Cynanchum leptolepis.