# Striped Albatross

*Appias libythea*

Despite its avian name, it is a butterfly; it was named 'Albatross' by early lepidopterists due to its powerful, soaring flight and white wings.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Lepidoptera › Pieridae › Appias
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** grassland
- **Habitat:** Open country, dry deciduous forests, scrublands, and urban gardens.
- **Diet:** Adults drink nectar from a variety of wildflowers; larvae feed exclusively on the foliage of Capparaceae species like the Caper bush.
- **Range:** India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines
- **Size:** Wingspan of 45-60 mm
- **Lifespan:** 2-4 weeks (adult stage)
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Habitat fragmentation and the use of broad-spectrum pesticides in agricultural areas.
- **Safe to approach?:** Completely harmless. These butterflies are skittish and fast flyers; observe them from a distance using binoculars near flowering shrubs. Do not attempt to catch them, as touching their wings can remove the vital scales they need for flight and thermoregulation.

## About

Appias libythea , the striped albatross , is a small butterfly of the family Pieridae, that is, the yellows and whites, which is found in India and Peninsular Malaysia.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/cba08ea9-afff-4edf-bf68-0f44e113c65a
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/70177
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appias libythea
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/323798460/medium.jpeg (Rohit, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.