Lepidoptera in July 2026 - 3 lifers and a few exciting ones

I got only three (3) lifers in July 2026 but the one from the lowland is significantly interesting because it is more commonly found up in the higher hills. Also there are lots of better photos of some uncommon ones this time. Enjoy the show 😸

Lifer # 1

Golden Spotted Oakblue

Arhopala kinabala

I think this Oakblue is not really a super rare one but you will seldom find it in the lowlands.

Golden Spotted Oakblue

Arhopala kinabala

Quite skittish as well but glad to get some shots of it.

Golden Spotted Oakblue

Arhopala kinabala

Hope to get a better shot of it the next time.

Lifer # 2

Baby Lascar 

Pantoporia aurelia aurelia

Finally got the baby one 😛

Lifer #3

Angle Red Forester 

Lethe chandica namura 

This "Forester" ssp is reportedly more common up on the higher hills but I saw this one at a lowland forest area. 

Angle Red Forester 

Lethe chandica namura 

This is my #615 species of butterflies seen so far.

Now we go to the more uncommon ones which were seen before but with better photos.

Rounded Plushblue

Flos morphina morphina

It's a better shot than last time. Very skittish fella. Once it has seen us, it will fly around and hardly stop for any nicer photos.

Common Batwing

Atrophaneura varuna varuna

This is a rare species despite been named as "common". Bet not many people have this open wing profile. It was seen in one of the forest areas in Hulu Langat, Selangor. 

Malayan Batwing

Atrophaneura nox erebus

This is another type of 'Batwing" but this is more common and it's a female.

Here's my favourite butterfly 😊

Popinjay 

Stibochiona nicea subucula

This is only my third time seeing it and all my sightings are in just one state so far i.e in Pahang.

Bamboo Tree Brown

Lethe europa malaya

Puddling on a patch of mud which was probably 'excavated' by wild boars. As mentioned by a local entomologist, butterflies including moths sense minerals in the soil with their feet and antennae. He also informed me that the diet of moths and butterflies are almost similar.

Great Duffer

Discophora timora perakensis

It was seen together with the above two Lethe species.

Blue Dandy 

Laringa castelnaui

A localised species and probably very uncommon elsewhere.

Margined Line Blue

Prosotas pia pia

I believe this Prosotas is more of a highland species and it was actually seen in Bukit Tinggi.

Here's another highland specialist.

Forest Pierrot

Taraka hamada mendesia

Niceville Dull Oakblue

Arhopala avatha

This was also seen in Bukit Tinggi.

Bandless Bushbrown

Mydosoma maianeas maianeas (as per CP5)

With a bit of flash light, you can see its colours been accentuated. I believe this is a localised highland species. So far I have frequently encounter this Bushbrown at this high hill.

Darkie Plushblue

Flos anniella anniella

Now we move to the lower land species. 

Note: many butterflies now traverse from the lowland to higher regions vice versa although some are highly localised at a specific altitude.

Narrow Spark

Sinthusa nasaka amba

So far this is the best photo I have taken for this species.

Red Imperial

Suasa lisides ssp suessa

This is an uncommon species in the Lycaenidae family.

Here's an ugly looking 'witch'.

The Witch

Araotes lapithis uruwela

Initially I can't recognise it until a more seasoned butterfly spotter pointed out the above mark/white patch.

Red Vein Lancer 

Pyroneura niasana burmana (Evans)

This Lancer is slightly smaller than P. klanga and P. latoia.

Malayan Knight

Lebadea martha malayana

Nice patterns it has.

Some Halpe sp are quite easy to be identified. Here are some of them.

Amber Ace

Halpe veluvana brevicornis

Dark Banded Ace

Halpe ormenes vilasina

Full Stop Swift

Caltoris cormasa

This swift can be identified from its rusty looking colours.

Malayan Tailed Judy

Archigenes savitri

This Judy appeared almost the same time over here and across the Straits.

Malayan Gem

Looks like a Poritia philota philota f lugubris holotype (just maybe)

This Gem is easier to ID.

Common Gem

Poritia hewitsoni taleva

First time seeing a Poritia pair.

Malayan Gem

Poritia philota philota

Malayan Gem

Poritia philota philota

It would have been much more difficult to ID this pair if I have not seen its upperside.

Dusky Faun

Faunis kirata

Actually I am not sure but the more seasoned butterfly spotters say it is one. 😐

Cyclop Bush-brown

Cupala mnacides perna

I believe you don't often see this Bushbrown with its open wings.

Cornelian

Deodorix epijarbas cinnabarus

Is this species really common? There are hundreds of its photos out there but somehow I have only seen it three times so far!

White Club Yellow Palmer

Zela excellens

Very happy to see this skipper again. A not so common Hesperiinae.

Malay Rajah

Charaxes distanti distanti

A moderately common species.

Pale-haired Palm King

Amathusia ochraceofusca ochraceofusca 

You can easily recognise this Palm King.

There were quite a number of Barons appearing in July. Let me start with this pretty one first.

Green Baron

Euthalia adonia pinwilli

Female

Apparently the male of this Baron is rarer (as per CP5).

Green Baron

Euthalia adonia pinwilli

There were two of them at the same location.

White-tipped Baron

Euthalia merta merta

Male

From far, it looks like Rohana parisatis (Black Prince).

White-tipped Baron

Euthalia merta merta

Female

She was seen at a different location though.

The Baron

Euthalia aconthea gurda

This Baron is more common I think.

Malayan Baron

Euthalia monina monina

Male

You will often come across the female rather than the male.

I shall finally end this month's post with a Flash. Most of them can be quite difficult to ID but with the help from the experts we can narrow down the species.

First up is this one.

According to an expert from SG, if the HW speckled patch occupying 80% and its FW postdiscal line band strongly bent in towards the costa, then it's a Malayan Red Flash.

Rapala damona

This is only my 2nd time seeing it. First time was at the northern border - Padang Besar !

Here is a slightly more common Flash.

Suffused Flash

Rapala suffusa barthema

Suffused Flash

Rapala suffusa barthema

You can clearly see the differences from the above Rapala ramona.

Suffused Flash

Rapala suffusa barthema

It's quite a fast flyer too.

HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED GOING THRU THE POST !

CHOW!

Butterflies in May & June 2026

Many uncommon ones but there is only one lifer in these two months. Surprisingly it looks unusually different than any other photos of this subspecies. Here it is:

Common Nawab 

Polyura athamas uraeus 

Usually Nawabs are fast flyers but this one was casually flying around. I didn't look at this shot until I got home and what a discovery! I can't find this photo in any literature.

Common Nawab 

Polyura athamas uraeus 

It's same one came resting. The whitish band on the top most photo is probably due to the direct sunlight. Here the colour is more natural.

Common Nawab 

Polyura athamas uraeus 

I was lucky to get its underside photo. Otherwise it will be very difficult to determine the actual subspecies of this Athamas. Apparently this ssp could be from a Sundanese / Sumatran species. 

Autumn Leaf

Doleschallia bisaltide continentalis 

I have never seen such wing pattern / colours before. 

Small Malayan Darkwing 

Allotinus strigatus malayanus 

Only my 2nd time seeing this Allotinus. Must be quite uncommon. This one was shot in Hulu Langat.

Dark Dingy Sailor

Neptis ilira cindia

Another uncommon species, I believe.

Fuliginous Sailor

Lasippa monata monata

The Great Sergeant 

Athyma larymna siamensis 

This one is a large butterfly.

Julia Heliconian

Dryas iulia

Common species but can be difficult to get a clean shot.

Wax Dart 

Cupitha purrea

Uncommon and skittish.

Brown-veined Lancer

Pyroneura klanga 

Uncommon as well.

Dark Malayan Six-line Blue

Nacaduba caluaria malayica

Yellow Grass Dart

Taractrocera archias quinta

CP5 has described this skipper as being rare but I think it can be a common one cause many people might just overlooked it one as of those common skippers.

Yellow Grass Dart

Taractrocera archias quinta

Looks like they are appearing more often in these two months cause I have seen them a few times at different locations.

Orchid Tit

Chliara otana semanga

It appeared just after a heavy thunder storm.

Orchid Tit

Chliara otana semanga

You can see that it still continue to seep away the rain water despite that it was still drizzling out there.

Orchid Tit

Chliara otana semanga

After drinking too much water, any excess will be drained out.

Arhopala stinga

No common name being given to this Oakblue as yet. To differentiate it from an Arhopala trogon, compare the two areas above. In an A. trogon, (A) and (B) are much broader than these. 

Dried-leaf Palmfly

Elymnias saueri saueri

Female.

So lucky she allowed me to go so close.

New Addition

Zigzag Banded Dart

Potanthus mingo ajax

Only my second time seeing it. 

THAT'S ALL FOR NOW. BEST WISHES TO ALL YOUR ENDEAVOURS.