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's still seeping away the rain water despite 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.

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

Butterflies in April 2026 - Major lifer !

There are not many butterfly trips in April cause I have been doing a lot of outstation travelling. Despite the lack of butterfly photos, I still managed to get a major lifer !! A live specimen which I think not many people in Malaysia have photograph it. 

Here it is !

Silverstreak Blue

Iroata timoleon wickii (Eliot) - 1980

It seems to be quite common in other countries but over here I believe it's very rare !

Chequered Lancer 

Plastingia naga 

This Lancer is not so common over here.

Dark Blue Tiger 

Tirumala septentrionis 

Burmese Lascar

Lasippa heliodore dorelia

Sky Blue 

Jamides caeruleus

Here's an interesting Blue.

Dark Malayan Six-line Blue

Nacaduba calauria malayica

Dark Evening Brown

Melanitis phedima abdullae

Here is a tricky one. It looks like the more common Glassy Tiger but this one is less common.

Ceylon Blue Glassy Tiger

Ideopsis similis persimilis

Happy to see this Hasora sp so near.

Yellow Banded Awl

Hasora schoenherr chuza

Common Awl

Hasora badra badra

Common Awl

Hasora badra badra

Arhopala species are always difficult to ID even though you may often seen them.

Bright Oakblue

Arhopala sublustris ridleyi

Here's another tricky species.

Courtesan

Euripus nyctelius euploeoides f isina

Courtesan

Euripus nyctelius euploeoides f isina

This Courtesan is less common here.

Bengal Swift

Pelopidas agna agna

Malayan Pied Blue

Megisba malaya sikkima 

Very tiny fella and not so common also.

Common Palmfly

Elymnias hypermnestra beatrice

With its upperside views, it makes things easier to ID it.

Common Palmfly

Elymnias hypermnestra beatrice

Club Beak

Libythea myrrha hecura

Over here is quite localised and not many but in Thailand (for example), you can see 20-30 of them in just one location.

I shall end this April's posting with this Cupid.

Dark Cupid

Shijimia potanini glycon

The above scientific name was taken from Yutaka's Butterflies of Indo-China.

Dark Cupid

Shijimia potanini glycon

Always happy to this Lycaenidae.

THAT'S ALL FOR THIS MONTH !!

HAVE ANOTHER GREAT MONTH AHEAD!!

Butterflies in March 2026 - the hunt for lifers continues.

The month of March came and went faster than Captain Marvel could blink his eyes. There's only one confirmed lifer this month and here it is:

My lifer in March 2026

Malayan Assyrian 

Terinos clarissa malayana

I think this genus of Assyrian is in season at the moment. Saw many of them in a few locations but this one is an exception. 

Malayan Assyrian 

Terinos clarissa malayana

Initially I thought this could just be another common Royal Assyrian (T. terpander robertsia). Only after I posted in a butterfly study group FB that I found it is another subspecies of Assyrian. Although it is reported to be common at this site in Hulu Langat but I think it is more localised and hence uncommon in other areas.

This Oakblue could be my second lifer if its identification proves correct.

Pale Yellow Oakblue 

Arhopala mooliana 

A few more Arhopala species were seen this month

Oakblue sp 

Arhopala lurida or A. atosia (?)

Here is an interesting Arhopala ! Initially I thought this could be an Arhopala stinga but after some close examinations, it proves to be a different one.

Long-celled Oakblue

Arhopala aurea

This is quite common at my local hill side.

Long-celled Oakblue

Arhopala aurea

This photo was taken w/o a flash light.

The abundance of Curetis species is quite evident in March.

Narrow-banded Sunbeam (edited from Regular Sunbeam)

Curetis insularis  

It has a nice creamy-white underside appearance.

Regular Sunbeam or Narrow-banded Sunbeam?

I think it looks more like a Narrow-banded Sunbeam (Curetis insularis). 

Here's another comparison but at a different location in Hulu Langat.

Narrow-banded Sunbeam

Curetis insularis pseudoinsularis (Fruhstorfer)

I think this Sunbeam is less common.

Narrow-banded Sunbeam

Curetis insularis pseudoinsularis (Fruhstorfer)

Looks like a male I believe.

I think this one is more like a Bright Sunbeam rather than a Malayan Sunbeam (C. santana).

Curetis bulis stigmata

As usual there were higher concentration of  Jamides Sp and Nacaduba Sp at this time of the year.

Large Four-line Blue

Nacaduba pactolus odon

Initially I thought this could be a N. solta but was promptly corrected by a sifu from SG.

This Nacaduba species is less common I believe.

White Four-line Blue 

Nacaduba agusta keriana

This Caerulean species is apparently uncommon in SG !

Glistening Caerulean

Jamides elpis pseudelpis 

Here is a 'controversial' species which after much examination and probing, the butterfly tribe here has unanimously decided and cleared the smog on this species.

Silver Forget-me-not 

Catochrysops panormus exiguus

Note: the small black spot seen here is closer to the postdiscal band / fascia than in a Forget-me-not (C. strabo strabo) which also has one. This feature is widely known within the butterfly community but is not visibly mention in the field guides it seems.

Four-bar Swordtail

Graphium agetes iponus (Westwood)

This Swordtail is no longer very rare. 

Small Leopard

Phalanta alcippe alcesta 

Small Leopard

Phalanta alcippe alcesta 

This is a different individual shot at a different location.

Always love to see a Simiskina or a Poritia no matter whether they are common or not.

Blue-line Brilliant 

Simiskina pharyge dolina

Majority of these species are found up on the higher lands. This one is probably the lowland one.

Blue-line Brilliant 

Simiskina pharyge dolina

This is also probably the most common one among them.

Common Yeoman

Cirrochroa tyche rotundata

Saw quite a number of them in different locations in March.

Common Yeoman

Cirrochroa tyche rotundata

Not as common as it sounds I believe.

Cycad Blue

Luthrodes pandava pandava

There were a few skippers seen but most of them are quite common and skittish except this one.

Dark Banded Ace

Halpe ormenes visalina

Chocolate Pansy

Junonia iphita horsfieldi

Fancy seeing a Pansy with a blue thorax? Note: it's very much alive and skittish.

Here are some nice and memorable shots to end this month's post.

Fivebar Swordtail

Graphium antiphates itamputi

Chocolate Albatross

Appias lyncida vasava

THAT'S ALL FOR THIS MONTH. HOPEFULLY I CAN BRING MORE EXCITING AND NEW LIFERS NEXT MONTH. 

SAYONARA MONSIEUR !