Butterflies in June 2024

In June I visited a place which I have not been in many years. It is located at the far end of the state of Kedah, in a place called Baling. There were many visitors at that time so I headed to a few trails which have less humans and cars. There were at least 5 - 6 trails at this site and you might take more than one day to cover them all. I heard a few Trogons calling but surprisingly less butterfly varieties. Perhaps the food plants like Leea indica and Lantanas are not flowering then. 

Malayan Birdwing

(Troides amphrysus ruficollis)

This is a male. There were a few of them flying around at different trails which means this could be a conducive mating and breeding habitat for this species.

Wax Dart 

(Cupitha pureea)

There were already sightings by other spotters in two different states just a few weeks before this. 

Little Map

(Cyrestis themire themire)

I have not come across any photos which show a protrusion / extension such as this on this species.

Little Map

(Cyrestis themire themire)

As mentioned by Dr Kirton in his field guide, this species likes to hang upside down under a leaf.

Common Faun

(Faunis canensarcesilas)

Always at ground level and loves to 'eat' rotten fruits.

Common Faun

(Faunis canensarcesilas)

This fella here is its close relative

Narrow Striped Faun

(Faunis gracilis)

Common Five Ring

(Ypthma horsfieldii humei)

First time seeing a jagged looking HW

                                                                         

A much smaller and lesser known Lexias.

Lexias canenscens pardalina

Yellow Archduke

Yellow Flat

(Mooreana trichoneura trichoneura)

A moderately uncommon flat.

Blue Brilliant

(Simiskina phalia potina)

This is a female

Dark Posy 

(Drupadia thedia thesmia f minara)

Plush

(Sithon nedymond nedymond)

Male

Dull White Palmer

(Acerbas martini)

This should be an uncommon skipper

Dull White Palmer

(Acerbas martini)

It was very skittish as it gave me only three shots - two was fine and one was blur.

Green Oakblue 

(Arhopala eumolphus maxwelli)

Only seen this Oakblue three times in my life so far.

Common Disc Oakblue

(Arhopala epimuta epiala)

A localised and just a moderately common Oakblue. The faint white cilia can be seen here.

Banded Yeoman

(Cirrochroa orissa orissa)

Common but looks nice in the sun.

                                                                           
                                                                     

Clavate Banded Demon

(Notocrypta clavata clavata)

Banded Red Forester

(Lethe minerva minerva)

My lifer in June ! Very skittish - at first it flew away from me at first sight. Then luckily it came back.

Malayan Batwing 

(Atrophaneura nox erebus)

According to Dr Kirton, Malayan Batwing is similar to a Common Batwing (A. varuna) except that A. nox has rounder forewings and is red only at the tip of its abdomen which both features can be seen here.

Angled Cylops

(Erites angularis angularis)

Most Cylops are deep forest species and hardly common. 

Red Bush Brown

(Mycalesis oroatis ustulata)

My 1st lifer. Although reportedly common but I guess it's quite localised.

Malayan White Flat

(Seseria affinis kirmana)

This is a uncommon species. My 2nd lifer.

Malayan White Flat

(Seseria affinis kirmana)

A fast flyer and quite skittish. 

Gem Demon

(Ancistroides gemmifer)

This is just a moderately common skipper.

The Constable 

(Dirchorragia nesimachus)

A rare and beautiful butterfly. Only my 2nd time seeing it.

A mega species with a beauty to behold.

The big ones came marching in. Here's the first one.

Tawny Rajah

(Charaxes bernardus crepax)

This looks very different than its usual orange-brown underside.

Another big one.

Jewelled Nawab

(Polyura delphis concha)

Red Helen

(Papilio helenus helenus)

Red Helens are quite common - only inside the forest but not at its fringes. 

Malayan Cruiser

(Vindula erota chersonesia)

The most effective way to differentiate it from a Lesser Cruiser (Vindula dejone) is from the sub-marginal lunules/lines which are joined / straighter on a Lesser Cruiser.

De niceville Oakblue

(Arhopala agrata)

This is one of those few Oakblues which I am able to identify.

White-dot Oakblue

(Arhopala democritus lycaenaria)

                                                                
                            Light Straw Ace                                                     Dark Banded Ace                           

                    (Pithauria stramineipennis)                                            (Halpe  ormenes)                                                                

            

Plain Yellow Lancer

(Xanthoneura corissa)

One of the ways to differentiate it from a Matapa aria (Common Redeye) is from the yellow patch at its lower antenna which does not show on a Matapa aria.

 

                                                                    

Common Jester

(Symbrenthia lilaea luciana)

A two in one shot !

Malayan Red Harlequin (Paralaxita damajanti) - behind 

and Red Harlequin (Paralaxita telesia) - front

Malayan Red Harlequin

(Paralaxita damajanti)

Red Harlequin 

(Paralaxita telesia lyclene)

Pointed Palmfly

(Elymnias penanga penanga)

I end this month's post with this skipper which you might not have seen it having such a vibrant colours.

Red Demon 

(Ancistroides armatus armatus)

This is a deep forest skipper. Hardly venture out in the open or even near a trail. It is slightly larger than a Chocolate Demon (Ancistroides nigrita).

It stayed quite close to the ground underneath a thick foliage.

THE END FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE 2024

Butterflies in May 2024 - new places and new lifers

I visited two new locations in the month of May and they brought me a few new lifers. Weather in May has been quite good with sunny skies and high humidity. In such weather, butterflies of various species came out and naturally followed by some rare ones. I even managed to get some nice photos as well.

When the sun comes out so as the butties. However, they will usually wait for the sun to be slightly warmer before they expose themselves.

Red Harlequin 

(Paralaxita telesia lyclene)

This is an eye level connection. Perfecto !

Pale-haired Palm King

(Amathusia ochraceofusca)

One of those many varieties of Palm Kings in this region.

Bicolor-haired Palm King

(Amathusia friderici holmanhunti f. utana)

Cyclops Bushbrown

(Culapa mnasicles perna)

This is not an ordinary bushbrown baby ! It's rare and my lifer.

Moore's Palm Redeye

(Erionota hiraca)

According to Dr Kirton, this skipper is smaller than Erionota thrax (Banana Skipper) and has the upperside FW apex whitened. In CP5 book, it is named E. acroleuca apicalis which they described as rare. 

Purple-streaked Catseye

(Coelites euptychoides humilis)

Together with other species such as Thaumantis, and Zeuxidia, this Catseye frequents the dark alleys of the jungle path.

Silver-spotted Lancer

(Plastinga naga)

First time seeing it after so many years. So it should be an uncommon species.

Banded Swallowtail

(Papilio demolion demolion)

I had many nice photos of this Papilio and this is just one of them. Once it starts puddling, you can approach it very near.

Malayan Cruiser

(Vindula erota chersonesia)

This Vindula is larger than the usual Cruiser (Vindula dejone erotella). So happy to see it up close. It is so 'friendly' that you could probably use a macro lens to take its photos.

                                                                                
                                                               

                    Malayan Yeoman                                                    Lesser Cruiser                              

                   (Cirrochroa emalea emalea)                                   (Vindula dejone erotella)                                                        

In a hot and dry season, even rocks can provide the desire minerals. Apparently only males will puddle for salts?

Branded Yeoman

(Algia fasciata)

This is a not so common Yeoman. 

Branded Yeoman

(Algia fasciata)

I think this is a localised and seasonal species.

What a beautiful specimen.

Wizard

(Rhinopalpa polynice eudoxia)

Female - slightly larger than the males.

Chocolate Royal

(Remelana jangala travana)

and its not so friendly looking butt.

                                  

Plush

  (Sithon nedymond nedymond)

Male

Also probably a seasonal species cause if you see them in one location, you would probably see them in other areas as well.

A puddling group is always fun to watch.         

You can see several species in one go. Here there are probably at least 6 species of different butterflies puddling in harmony.

More puddling group.

The one in the middle is a Catopsilia pomona pomona f . hilaria

Lemon Immigrant

The second one from the right is a Catopsilia pomona pomona f. alcmeone

Lemon Immigrant

The middle one should be a male Lesser Cruiser (Vindula dejone erotella)

                                                  Those two are Orange Gulls (Cepora iudith malaya)

Quite often seen nowadays.

Redspot Sawtooth

(Prioneris philonome themana)

This one is much larger than the above Cepora (Orange Gulls).

Orange Albatross (Appias nero figulina) and a Common Bluebottle (Graphium sarpedon luctatius)

Now, how about the one below here?

 
                                          Pink Albatross / Red Albatross?                             

                                                         
                       Great Orange Tip                       

                     (Hebomoia glaucippe)                      

                      

Another excellent specimen

Fivebar Swordtail

(Graphium antiphates itamputi)

Here is a recent surprise find. A prince came to my area.

           
        Black Prince            

                  (Rohana parisatis siamensis)                         

          

It was seen for the first time (I think) at the usual butterfly spot in Hulu Langat. This species is more often seen at Gopeng, Perak.     

Common Nawab

(Polyura athamas)

It can fly quite fast actually when disturbed.

These are two different individuals. Male n female perhaps?

  
                                          Ultra Snow Flat                                            

                   (Tagiades ultra)                       

Large / Straight Snow Flat

(Tagiades parra naxos)

Common Redeye

(Matapa aria)

Here is something different from the book.

Experts have identified the above as a Common Tit (Hypolycaena erylus teatus)

Did the extreme climate just changed / diluted its colors?

                                  

                                      Here are some comparisons of Ace skippers.                                 
                                                               

Left = Zema Banded Ace (Halpe zema zamba)

Right = Dark Banded Ace (Halpe ormenes vilasina)

                                                                                   
                         Left = Branded Straw Ace (Pithauria marsena)          

              Right = Amber Ace (Halpe veluvana brevicornis)

                              - a possible lifer if my ID is correct                                           

Here is another Ace !

Pale Marked Ace

(Halpe hauxwelli) 

                                              A comparison of some common Silverlines                                                   

                                                                        
                                                Long-banded Silverline (Spindasis lohita senama) - right                                  

                                              Club Silverline (Spindasis syama terana)  - left                               

HERE COMES MY FAVOURITE PART OF EVERY POSTS

IDENTIFICATION OF ARHOPALAs / OAKBLUEs

                                                                    White-dot Oakblue        

(Arhopala democritus lycaenaria)

    

                                            Long-celled Oakblue                                                 

                

                (Arhopala aurea)                    
                                                                              

                                                                               
                                            (Arhopala kurzi)                                               

                                           Yellow-disc Tailess Oakblue                                                     

                    (Arhopala perimuta regina)                              

                                                                             
                                                 Moore's Oakblue                                                         

                                    (Arhopala moorei busa)                                          

Green-suffused Oakblue

(Arhopala trogon)

It has a beautiful shinning green upperside.

                                                                Long-celled Oakblue                                                 

                

                     (Arhopala aurea)        

(Arhopala agesias)

Shining Plushblue 

(Flos fulgida singhapura)

Lastly I end this month's post with a one in a life time photo.

The above photo should support the theory that some Lepidopteras do help in the pollination process.

HAVE A GREAT TIME WITH YOUR BUTTERFLY FRIENDS !!