Commander butterfly or Moduza procris

A butterfly is a flying insect of the order Lepidoptera belonging to one of the super families of Hesperioidea and Papilionoidea. These insects are remarkable for their striking colours and beautiful patterns on their wings.

Kerala is home to about 330 varieties of butterflies. Of these, 37 are native to this region.

India belongs to the oriental zoological region and the geographical features of this part of land are well reflected in the flora and fauna of Kerala, too.

Commander or Moduza procris is one of the most widely distributed butterflies in India. They belong to moderate to heavy rainfall areas in forests of southern India,Madhyapradesh, West Bengal, northeast India and Dehra Dun.

The upper side of the Commanders is reddish white with a broad, discal white band across both wings. The underside has more clearly defined markings and pale blue basal area.

Commander is a butterfly genus of low elevation. They are very fond of damp patches and flowers of Aztec marigold. Male exhibits strong territorial behaviour, often found perching high up in the trees and pouncing on other butterflies. It lays eggs on mussaenda plants.

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