My Butterfly pix of 2007

At the end of every year one of the e-group that I am part of - Butterfly India - asks its members to submit what they consider their best snap of the year. I chose this one : (Read on below to know why)

Since I haven't been living in India since a few years now and I visit only on short break I didn't have a huge collection of Indian Butterfly pix for 2007 to pick from, nonetheless I decided to share this one as my favourite for the year gone by.

I chose to share this image because it portrays yet another aspect in the life cycle of these beautiful creatures - as someone's meal.

The image shows the Clytia form (mimicing the Common Crow) of the Common Mime Butterfly (Papilio (Chilasa) clytia) being devoured by a Praying Mantis.

And thanks to Mr. Kiran Srivastava (kiranjo@vsnl.net) I know that the Praying Mantis is of a Creoboter species.
Check this link to know more about this species of Mantis - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creobroter_gemmatus

And last but not the least - Wish you all a great year ahead! Happy 2008 !!