Butterflies in March 2021 (Part 3): understanding the wing structure of butterflies

To evoke interest in citizen science, the communication barriers between scientists and non-scientists should be eliminated. In the early days, amateurs were the ones who gathered and documented data from around the world. The information on the location, date and time and structural colors of  insects were documented in personal memoirs and travelling ledgers. These info eventually led or evolve into our present-day field guides and scientific knowledge. The good news is various new technologies including photography and molecular methods are also now more accessible to the entomological community. 

There are currently about 1051 butterflies species in Peninsular Malaysia alone (pers. comm with Dr Phon SK). Their popularity are perhaps largely due to their appearance. The development of colors and the assortment of patterns on butterfly wings were mainly due to the pigmentation and colour-generating nanostructures which located in the scales covering the surfaces of their wings. These photonic nanostructures are arranged in such a way to either reflect, diffract or scatter incident light on their wings. There are, however, several species of butterflies which appears without any scales covering their wings for example the "Lamproptera meges" species in this region. 

Recently I photographed a 'Celaenorrhinus asmara asmara' (White-banded Flat) with what appears like a transparent looking white-band on its discal area.

The above and below photo show what appears like the sun light has managed to penetrate the whitish band on its discal. Could it be that the areas around the band were arranged with translucent scales?

A typical way for a "flat" / butterfly to hide from direct sunlight or predators is by hiding under the leaves. Note the different colors of its discal bands (one is green as similar as the color of the leave and the other appears whitish).

Not so sure what are those two yellow things there.

Here are the remaining butterflies seen in the month of March 2021

A 'Hypolycaena erylus teatus' (Common Tit) trying to take in some 'sulphate' from my shoes.

Apparently the above butterfly is a female 'Common Hedge Blue' (Acytolepis puspa lambi). Looks like they are more common in the forest than in your local park or garden.

The above is a "Malay Yeoman' (Cirrochroa malaya malaya). It was differentiated from the rather similar C. emalea emalea by the pale discal band (in circle) which is constricted in C. emalea emalea.

Here's the upperside view of the Malay Yeoman.

Skippers can be fun to photographed as wherever they go they will always returned to the same perch

Peninsular Ace (Halpe pelethronix)

Peninsular Ace (Halpe pelethronix)

H. bolina bolina

Courtesan (Euripus nyctelius euploeoides)

 The same butterfly decided to come down to the ground.

When in contact with sunlight, the underside appears to be brownish. This is one of the classic examples showing the change of structural colors arising from the interaction of photonic cells in the nanostructures with sunlight.

Most 'Neptis' and 'Athyma' would require close scrutiny before their identification. 

By careful examination, the above butterfly was identified as an "Athyma clerica clerica" (Strange Sergeant) and it is reported to be rare in this region.

The above species has been identified as an "Athyma kanwa kanwa" (Dot-dash Sergeant)

Club Silverline (Spindasis syama senama)

Although common but at only 1.6 cm it can be quite difficult to spot. The above butterfly was seen just above ground level. 

The slightly blurry part on its tornus area was because it was moving its hindwings up and down to mimic a lively 'false head'.

ENJOY LOOKING FOR YOUR BUTTERFLIES !!