Pachliopta hector are found in India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and perhaps the coast of western Myanmar.

   In India, they are found in the Western Ghats, southern India (Tamil Nadu, Kerala), and eastern India (West Bengal and Odisha). They are found sparingly in the Andaman Islands.

   They are at home both in jungle and in open country.     During the dry season, they will be found at elevations up to 8000 feet (2400 m) in South India, but they are found all the year round at lower elevations.

   Close to the ground, the flight of the crimson rose is slow and fluttering but steady. At greater heights, it flies faster and stronger.

   They bask with their wings spread flat, sometimes in small congregations, at heights of 10 to 15 meters.

   They often roost for overnight in large groups on the twigs and branches of trees and shrubs, sometimes accompanied by Common Mormons.

   When resting they draw their forewings halfway between the hindwings.

   They sleep on slanting outstretched branches or twigs of trees or bushes.

   A striking aspect of the Crimson Rose's behaviour is its strong migratory tendencies. During the peak of their season, several thousand Crimson Roses can be found congregating until they begin migrating to other areas.

   Both males and females are similar in pattern, but the females are quite large and duller in coloration.

   The Crimson Rose is a black butterfly with two white bands on the forewing and two rows of bright crimson

patches on the hindwing. The shapes of the crimson patches vary. The outer margin is serrated and the tornus extends in to a tail in the hindwing.

   The abdomen, thorax and head always have crimson patches. These patches are reduced in females.

   They are a very striking tailed butterfly with prominent white bands on its forewings. The Crimson Rose is very fond of flowers especially Lantana.         Nectar is essential for them, and a higher nectar intake is thought to increase egg production.

   The red body, slow peculiar flight, bright coloration and pattern of the wings are meant to indicate to predators that this butterfly is inedible, being well protected by the poisons it has sequestered from its larval food plant.

   Their flight and behavior is much like that of the common Mormon. Like Mormons, they are also inedible and rarely attacked by predators.

   The Crimson Rose visits the flowers of scrubs and some varieties of taller herbs, in groups.

   They are quite dormant and stop over at flowers near the ground in the early hours of the day, but become very active towards noon. Occasionally they can be seen mud puddling in small numbers.

   This is a migratory species that inhabits open vegetation, with scrublands being the most preferred.

   They are abundant in such habitats in the dry zone during the season.

   They are occasionally seen in the low country wet zone but never in large numbers. Very rarely, they can be seen at higher elevations in migratory flight.

   Thay are considered a species of "Least Concern (LC)" by IUCN.