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The Common Sailor Butterfly - Information and Characteristics
The Common Sailor Butterfly
The Common Sailor Butterfly is also known as Neptis Hylas. They are from the family Nymphalidae, or brush footed butterflies also known as a Nymphalid. The sub family for the sailor butterfly is Limenitidinae. Limenitidinae, are Admirals or Relatives. They are found naturally in South and Southeast Asia as well, and I wish I could go there to see this and other butterflies in person.
The regions they have been found in, more specifically, include Indomalaya, Sri Lanka, India, Tenasserim, and Myanmar
When you see these common sailor butterflies, you will notice that it is characteristic of stiff gliding. Their wing beats are rather short, and shallow as well.
Something Rather Curious
One thing of particular interest to me is that there have been some common sailor butterflies which make some kind of sound! I was so surprised to hear this, as my experience so far is that butterflies generally make no sound at all. So this was rather a curious thing to me. Lepidopterists are still trying to figure out whether or not this sound is for some particular purpose, and as far as I can tell, they have no answer to that yet. Perhaps there is no real purpose or rhyme or reason to that.
If there was one unanswered question I have
about these butterflies, it would be to ask how they got their name,
"Common Sailor." I can't help but be curious about that!
If you get the chance, try to visit a butterfly conservatory, as you may see some butterflies there that you wouldn't normally see in your own area. I love to go to places like that, but also like to do my own butterfly gardening to bring the local butterflies close, and to support them in their habitat. They in turn help us with polination and bring beauty to our surroundings. I love to refer to them as flying flowers, because they do seem beautiful like a flower, but flutter along and seem so carefree and beautiful.