Bug FAQCommon Castor Butterfly
Ariadne merione · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Nymphalidae
Also called: Common Castor
The common castor butterfly has a wingspan of about 30 to 35 mm, though some sources list 52 to 62 mm. It lives throughout South and Southeast Asia, including most of India, the Himalayas, Cambodia, Myanmar, Tenasserim and the Malayan region. It looks much like the angled castor (Ariadne ariadne), but its underside has broader, more diffuse chestnut bands.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Males have brownish-ochraceous upper wings crossed by several thin, sinuous dark lines.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Wingspan ranges from 30 to 35 mm. Another measurement gives a wingspan of 52 to 62 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Found across South and Southeast Asia. Recorded throughout India, the Himalayas, Cambodia, Myanmar, Tenasserim and the Malayan subregion.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Caterpillars have long spinous bristles that protect them from predators.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Like other Nymphalidae, the front two legs are small and unused, making them effectively four-legged.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Native to South and Southeast Asia. Occurs in India, the Himalayas, Cambodia, Myanmar, Tenasserim and the Malayan region.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It resembles Ariadne ariadne (angled castor), but the underside shows broader, more diffuse chestnut bands.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
How can I tell a common castor butterfly apart from an angled castor?
Check the underside; the common castor has broader, more diffuse chestnut bands than the angled castor.
Source: Wikipedia
What size is a common castor butterfly?
Its wingspan is reported as either 30 to 35 mm or 52 to 62 mm depending on the source.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is the common castor butterfly found?
It occurs throughout South and Southeast Asia, including most of India, the Himalayas, Cambodia, Myanmar, Tenasserim and the Malayan region.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Nymphalidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ariadne_merione
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.