Narrow-banded Bluebottle (Graphium teredon)

The Southern Bluebottle (Graphium teredon) is a fast-flying swallowtail butterfly found in southern India and Sri Lanka, closely related to the well-known Common Bluebottle but more delicate in appearance. Its wings are deep black, crossed by a narrow blue-green band that is thinner and more broken than in its relative, giving it a lighter, sharper look in flight. The hindwings end in a small pointed tooth, and the underside mirrors the upper pattern with added crimson markings near the base. This butterfly is most often seen in moist lowland rainforests below about 1,600 metres, where it flies swiftly just above the forest canopy, its speed and alertness making it one of the harder butterflies to approach or photograph.

Males are commonly seen mud-puddling along forest paths, roadsides, and stream edges, sometimes gathering in small groups to absorb minerals, especially during seasonal movements when the species shows migratory behaviour. Adults visit flowers for nectar, while the caterpillars depend mainly on forest trees such as cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), Indian laurel (Litsea species), and other members of the laurel family. Eggs are laid singly on host plant leaves, and the caterpillar grows into a smooth green larva marked with yellow bands and short fleshy spines before pupating close to its feeding site. The pupa, also green, blends perfectly with surrounding foliage, completing a life cycle that is closely tied to healthy forest ecosystems and undisturbed woodland habitats.