When on the wing, this large and powerful butterfly resembles more a small bird than a butterfly due the speed and the nature of its flight. This no doubt serves it well since it has the habit of establishing and defending hilltop territories otherwise known as “hilltoping” (hilltops serve as mate-encounter sites not only for this species but also for many other insects).
Ideally, I would have liked to photograph it with its wings open, but when it did eventually decide to land (several times on animal dung), it immediately placed its wings in an upright position. This was the best shot I could get - naturally I avoided to photograph it on dung!
Charaxes jasius’ larval foodplant is the strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) but it is also attracted to fermenting fruit, animal dung, and alcohol in the form of beer and wine!
Now watch a short educational film (in French) on the life-cycle of Charaxes jasius.
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