Hill Jezebel

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Identity and classification

Delias belladonna belongs to Pieridae. India’s Directorate of Forest Education calls it the Hill Jezebel, and the specialist classification places it in the belladonna group. [1][2][3]

Morphology and identification

The wings are dark with white and yellow markings. The specialist diagnosis identifies an entirely yellow patch in the ventral hindwing cell, together with distinct pale patches on the underside forewing. [2][3]

Range and habitat

Regional forms occur across the Himalayas, China and mainland Southeast Asia, with additional Malaysian and Sumatran forms. The Indian field guide records stream margins and open-forest tracks at 600–3,000 metres. [2][3]

Food and host plants

India’s Directorate of Forest Education records Dendrophthoe as a larval food plant. [3]

Behaviour

The Indian guide describes adults gathering on flowering trees and thistles. Males visit damp soil and sometimes form puddling groups. [3]

Nomenclature and history

Fabricius named the species Papilio belladonna in 1793. Its current combination, Delias belladonna, retains his authorship and date. [5]

Specimen views

The specialist account includes a male D. belladonna ithiela photographed by Krushnamegh Kunte at Rangli, East Sikkim, on 8 May 2011. [2]

Artistic interpretation

Yellow fields and pale spots provide contrast against the dark wing ground.

Display and care

Keep the frame away from direct sunlight, heat and persistent damp. Handle the enclosure by its frame and inspect for loose fragments without opening it. [4]

Identification and evidence notes

The specialist diagnosis emphasizes the yellow cell patch on the underside hindwing. In India, caterpillars are recorded on Dendrophthoe, while adults visit flowers and males gather on damp soil. [2][3]

Sources and evidence

The Indian government guide describes habitat, host and adult behaviour. The specialist account supplies morphological comparisons and attributed field photographs, while the Catalogue of Life record preserves the original name and authorship. [2][3][5]

Delias classification and museum-image catalogue ↗
University of Florida Lepiverse; Catalogue of Life 2026-08-26 XR · Accessed 2026-10-09
Delias belladonna: specialist records and comparison plates ↗
Delias of the World; international Delias specialists · Accessed 2026-10-09
Titli — The Dancing Wings: Hill Jezebel ↗
Directorate of Forest Education, India; species contribution Ashutosh Mallik · Accessed 2026-10-09
Caring for natural history collections ↗
Canadian Conservation Institute; Fiona Graham · Accessed 2026-10-09
Delias belladonna (Fabricius, 1793): Catalogue of Life record ↗
Catalogue of Life, via GBIF · Accessed 2026-10-11

Related species

Sources checked 2026-10-11. Illustrations · Luminary Oddities.

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