Hong Kong Butterflies 1

According to The Hong Kong Leisure and Cultural Services Department, 48 butterfly species can be found in the Hong Kong Park .

The common tiger  (虎斑蝶 Danaus genutia), is one of the common butterflies there. It belongs to the “crows and tigers”, that is, the Danainae group of the brush-footed butterflies family.

Both sexes of the butterfly have tawny wings with veins marked with broad black bands. The male common tiger has a prominent black-and-white spot on the underside of the hindwing. The margins of the wings are black with two rows of white spots. The underside of the wings resembles the upperside but is paler in colouration. 

The male Common Tiger are usually found sipping sap from the Retuse-leaved Crotalaria (Crotalaria retusa) in order to produce a particular hormone to attract the female Common Tiger for mating.[吊裙草的汁液能為雄性虎斑蝶提供製造吸引雌蝶的激素。秋冬季節，雄性虎斑蝶會聚集起來，吸食吊裙草汁液，以提高求偶的成功機會。 ]

Last week I visited the Hong Kong Park and took a few pictures of the common tiger.