Wednesday 8 June 2016

Lime Butterfly (Papilio demoleus malayanus)

Here is another butterfly which would require your mental faculties to work overtime. If you have compared the photos in the literature with the photos below, you might probably have some doubts on its identification. The literature described the butterfly as having a black upperside and a creamy ground color underside. Most of the pictures in the field guide as well as in the internet in fact show an almost overall black coloration. 




The reason for this color distortion was probably due to the effect of direct sunlight. There were however several features which i have used to derived my conclusion on this butterfly.

i)  There is a large ocellus spot in between interspace 7 and post discal section of its wing.

ii) large number of irregular spots on forewings in interspaces 5 to 8 towards Apex (M3 - R4).

iii) two orange spots in between the area of 'tornus' and 'postdiscal' on its hindwing.


Here it is again under a shade.


This butterfly was photographed in Northern Peninsular of Malaysia and it was surprising to know that the literature has considered this butterfly a pest !


HAPPY BUTTERFLYING !



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