Queen of the bush

Now, during the latter half of the monsoon, butterflies are beginning to proliferate. I saw a large number of Danaid eggflies in every fallow field I passed. This female is taking, possibly, its last drink of the day as evening falls. The courtship ritual is wonderful: the female goes into an ascending spiral flight with the male following. Usually the ascent starts from the grass on the ground and reaches well beyond most treetops. The males which do not last the course are seen back at their drinks soon after.

Done