About Charaxes solon (Fabricius, 1793)
The black rajah (Charaxes solon) is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan ranging from 70 to 80 millimeters. The upper side of its wings is dark brownish black, marked with greenish or white discal bands that cross both wings. The band breaks into separate spots near the apex of the forewing. The hindwing has two tails of similar size at veins 2 and 4; female black rajahs have longer tails, while male tails are more pointed. This butterfly is native to South and Southeast Asia. Its confirmed range includes Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar, Indochina, Cambodia, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, Sulawesi, and the Philippines (specifically Palawan and the Sulu Archipelago). Within India, it is found in South India, and along the Himalayas from Kumaon and Sikkim into Bhutan, through Assam, continuing on to Myanmar. It is not considered rare in at least South Asia. The black rajah is generally a low-elevation species, found at altitudes up to 1950 meters (6500 feet) above sea level. Its caterpillars typically feed on plants in the Fabaceae family, most notably tamarind (Tamarindus indica). Based on observations from Borneo (and likely across other parts of its range), adult black rajahs generally do not visit carrion or old fruit to feed on liquids.
