Common Crow

The common crow is a glossy-black butterfly with brown undersides with white markings along the outer margins of both wings. The wingspan is about 8–9 cm and the body has prominent white spots. The male has a velvety black brand located near the rear edge on the upperside of the forewing. On the underside there is a white streak in the same location. This white streak is present in both male and female. In its natural position this streak is hidden behind the hindwing and can be seen only when the butterfly is captured and observed closely.

Excerpt from Fauna of British India: Butterflies, volume 1:

Upperside dark brown, broadly paler along terminal margins; Fore and hind wing with subterminal and terminal series of white spots; on fore wing the former more or less oval, curved inwards opposite apex, the latter series often incomplete, not reaching apex, the spots smaller; often there is a small costal spot, and very rarely a spot in apex of cell and one or more discal spots; on the hind wing the inner series of spots are elongate, the outer conical.Underside similar, but ground-colour more uniform; cell, costal and discal spots on both fore and hind wing nearly always present.Race godarti (=E. godarti) (Northeast India and Myanmar) Fore wing subtriangular, tornus more rounded than in E. core. Hindwing broadly ovate. …

E. core can be found in southern Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, and Australia. In its range E. core is found at all elevations, right from sea level up into the mountains to 2,400 metres (8,000 ft). It can be observed in all layers of vegetation and in all types of regions from arid land to forested areas. It can as commonly be seen gliding over the treetops as flitting about a foot off the ground searching for nectar flowers. In thick forests it is often seen moving along open tracks or following the course of a river. The butterfly, being protected by its inedibility, has a leisurely flight. It is often seen flying about shrubs and bushes in search of its host plants. It visits a large variety of flowering plant species. When gliding E. core holds its wings at an angle just greater than the horizontal plane, maintaining its flight with a few measured wingbeats.

E. core is a nectar lover and visits flowers unhurriedly. It seems to prefer bunches to individual flowers. When feeding the butterfly is unhurried and is not easily disturbed. It can be approached closely at this time. On hot days large numbers of these butterflies can be seen mud-puddling on wet sand. E. …

The common crow feeds on a large number of plants of the families

Apocynaceae (dogbanes, milkweeds and oleanders) Moraceae (figs) Rubiaceae, Ulmaceae (nettles) and the specific species are -

Aphananthe cuspidata, Asclepias curassavica, Asclepias guadeloupe, Asclepias syriaca, Calotropis gigantea, Carissa ovata, Cerbera manghas, Cryptolepis pauciflora Cryptolepis sinensis, Cryptostegia madagascariensis, Cynanchum carnosum, Ficus benghalensis, Ficus benjamina, Ficus hederacea, Ficus microcarpa Ficus obliqua, Ficus pandurata Ficus platypoda, Ficus pyriformis Ficus racemosa, Ficus religiosa, Ficus rubiginosa, Ficus variolosa, Gomphocarpus fruticosus, Gymnanthera oblonga, Hemidesmus indicus, Holarrhena pubescens Hoya australis Ichnocarpus frutescens, Leichhardtia rostrata (syn. Marsdenia rostrata), Leichhardtia suaveolens (syn. Marsdenia rostrata), Marsdenia australis, Nerium indicum, Nerium oleander, Parsonsia alboflavescens Parsonsia straminea Plumeria acuminata, Sarcostemma australe Secamone elliptica, Streblus asper, Toxocarpus wightianus, Trachelospermum bowringii, Tylophora indica . It usually has some preference for certain species in a given area. The more commonly used plants are Ficus racemosa, Nerium oleander, Nerium odorum, and Cryptolepis buchananii. Ficus pumila a cultivated garden plant which climbs on walls has also been noted.