Butterflies in November 2025 - A Rapala season.

Yep! Monsoon season is here but somehow I can still get a few lifers in between those short sunny days and the long rainy days. 

Surprise ! Surprise ! I got this lifer not from the highlands but from a lowland hill site !

Abnormal Flash

Rapala duma duma

Most photos you see were taken from hill stations like "High Hill" or probably GTJ but this is probably the first record on a lowland hill.

Abnormal Flash

Rapala duma duma

It was seen at eye level, hopping from one leaf to another. 

Here's another 'major' discovery ! It was seen by two budding butterfly spotters!

Great Duffer 

Discophora timora perakensis

We were quite certain that we saw a white band on its FW which means it would have been a Blue Duffer (D. necho engamon) ! What's more interesting is that another season butterfly researcher (Monsieur Liew) saw a similar looking one and recorded it as a Blue Duffer !

The above photo was taken by Monsieur Liew. 

Great Duffer 

Discophora timora perakensis

Blue Duffer (D. necho engamon) is very rare according to CP5 book. However, all the above photos are more skewed towards a Great Duffer in CP5. So it looks like more evidence / proof (especially a photo of its FW band) are needed to determine whether the above was indeed a Blue Duffer or maybe another variant of a Great Duffer.

Looks like the cool and wet month of November brings out more Rapala species. Here is another one of them.

Malayan Red Flash 

Rapala damona 

This Rapala was seen near the border of Padang Besar. So I would consider it as my record in Peninsular Malaysia as well. 

Here's another lifer from the Northern border.

Glassy Tiger / Himalayan Glassy Tiger 

Parantica aglea melanoides

Here's my 600 species lifer. 👏😋. Another Rapala as well.

Slate Flash

Rapala manea chozeba

This Flash is smaller than the above two Rapalas and it was seen in Gopeng.

Common Red Flash

Rapala iarbus iarbus

This Rapala is more common than the earlier ones.

This one looks like a Rapala but it's not !

Common Tit

Hypolycaena erylus teatus

Lesser Albatross

Appias paulina distanti

This one is actually my 599 species lifer !

In August this year, I got one Blue Leaf Blue in KL but this one was seen in Gopeng.

Blue Leaf Blue

Amblypodia narada tanooana 

That looks like a face of a teddy bear 😊

Here's another uncommon species.

Club Beak 

Libythea myrrha hecura

This species is very localised and is probably quite rare elsewhere.

Club Beak 

Libythea myrrha hecura

This time I saw four of them and this one pointed here looks quite different than the rest - a female perhaps?

Rohana parisatis siamensis

Female 

Black Prince

Rohana parisatis siamensis

Male 

Looks totally like a different species from this view.

Green Imperial

Manto hypoleuca terana

This 'Imperial' species emerges mostly in the late morning. You will hardly see them in the afternoon.

Green Imperial

Manto hypoleuca terana

They always prefer to stay high up on a tree. 

White Dragontail 

Lamproptera curius

I have seen this species in quite a number of places. So I guess it's quite common now.

Lime Butterfly

Papilio demoleus malayanus

I believe not many people have seen this variant / colour before.

Tufted Jungle King

Thauria aliris pseudaliris

Surprise to see this one in an open area. They are more commonly seen deep inside a jungle trail.

Angled Castor 

Ariadne ariadne ariadne

Not a rare species but only occasionally you will be able to see them.

Common Birdwing

Troides helena cerberus

One of those common Birdwings you can find along the jungle edges.

Plush

Sithon nedymond 

Male

Plain Blue Crow

Euploea modesta modesta 

This 'Crow' was seen at an open grassland in Kemensah.

Plain Blue Crow

Euploea modesta modesta 

This "Crow' is consider quite rare over here.

Indian Cupid

Everes lacturnus rileyi 

This lycaenidae under the "Blues" butterfly family is actually considered uncommon over here.

Here's another uncommon "Blue".

Ancyra Blue / Felder's Lineblue

Catopyrops ancyra aberrans

The above was seen at my local patch.

Ancyra Blue / Felder's Lineblue

Catopyrops ancyra aberrans

Based on the above markings, it looks like a female after all.

Ancyra Blue / Felder's Lineblue

Catopyrops ancyra aberrans

One thing I have learnt from a more experienced butterfly spotter is that the eyes of this species is never dark/black. The above was seen in Gopeng. 

Sumatran Gem

Poritia sumatrae sumatrae

Note: in the field, its upperside markings are actually iridescent green rather than bluish as depicted by some books.

Looks like the Miletus family are making a grand appearance this month. Here are a few them.

Round-banded Brownie

Miletus gopara gopara

Common Brownie

Miletus chinensis learchus

Giant Brownwing

Miletus gigantes

Here's an interesting Nacaduba.

Transparent Six-line Blue

Nacaduba kurava nemana 

The identity of this 'Bush-Brown' is debatable depending on which planet you come from I guess.

For the moment I called it as a Tawny Bush-brown

Mydosoma anapita

Here are a few uncommon small ones.

Lesser Lancer

Pyroneura flavia fruhstorferi

Lesser Long-spot Flitter

Isma bononia bononia

Here are some lessons on butterfly identification.

Common Cerulean

Jamides celeno aelianus 

All the above markings point to the species except for the ones in esterisk "*" (i.e 2 & 6).

Okay ! Let's see whether you can guess which Dart is this one before seeing the answer.

I was quite lucky to have an expert as a friend otherwise I would have wrongly identify the above Dart.

Have a look at the following pointers given by the butterfly expert.

Here is what he has to say:

"It is a Telicota species because it has a stigma (S - white arrow) which Potanthus species is lacking. It is not Telicota linna because the stigma is placed closer to the other edge of fascia (f - white arrow). This is the character to separate T. colon, T. besta and T. augias from T. hilda, T. linna and T. ohara.

Among T. colon, T. besta and T. augias, it should be T. besta bina because the postdiscal spot in spaces 5 and 6 (5, 6 - white arrows) are shifted out of line with the spots in spaces 3 and 4 (3, 4 green arrows).

On UpFW, the yellow streaks not continue along the veins like T. colon. In addition, the postdiscal spots are barely concave at their outer edge. It is best to affirm the identity by examine its genitalia. I have done the work from my T. besta bina specimen years ago and attach it for reference as shown below. Do refer to the key for separation of Telicota species in C&P 5, page 335 and the figures of T. besta bina (Plate 130 fig. 2) and T. linna (Plate 130, fig. 5). You will see the stigma of T. linna is closer to the outer edge of the dark fascia clearly, but in T. besta bina is nearer to the inner edge."

So there you go - the above is a Telicota besta bina (Besta Palm Dart) !

I will end this month's post with this beautiful specimen. This one is the Perak version.

Red Harlequin

Paralaxita telesia

THANK YOU FOR DROPPING BY !

SEE YOU NEXT MONTH !

Butterflies in September & October 2025 - Lifers & some very rare ones

Here are a few lifers and rare butterflies' photos which I managed to get between these two months. I had to combined both months as there weren't many trips due to the rainy season. Nevertheless glad that I am still able to see a few lifers! 

Scarce Slate Flash

Rapala scintilla scintilla

My first lifer ! Very closely resembling a Rapala manea chozeba and to a certain extend a Rapala varuna orseis as well. They are only separated by some minor differences. 

Scarce Slate Flash

Rapala scintilla scintilla

Usually you will find Rapala foraging on some medium height bushes but this one came down to the trail to puddle. 

The above Rapala is a bit more difficult to determine as its bands are slightly broader although its overall colour seem to look like a R. scintilla. An Indigo Flash (Rapala varuna orseis) perhaps ?

Another Rapala.

Common Red Flash

Rapala iarbus iarbus

Looks like one I believe.

2nd lifer !

Bright Oakblue

Arhopala sublustris ridleyi 

Bright Oakblue

Arhopala sublustris ridleyi 

It closely resemble an Arhopala athada - with just some minute differences.

Bright Oakblue

Arhopala sublustris ridleyi 

With a view of its upperside colours etc even if it's just 20% or 30%, it helps to determine the ssp.

3rd lifer ! 

Yes mostly Arhopalas which is my favourite butterfly species 😊

Lesser Disc Oakblue

Arhopala lurida !

When in season many Arhopala species will appear in the same location. 

Now, here is one of the rarest Arhopala in town ! 

Invincible Oakblue 

Arhopala caeca

Only a few people have seen this Oakblue ! Unfortunately this is not my lifer but I have only seen it twice in my lifetime. Nevertheless this is my best shot of this species and it's a female some more.

Green-suffused Oakblue

Arhopala trogon

The above is a female which has a blue upperside instead of green colour like of those males.

Green-suffused Oakblue

Arhopala trogon

Here is an Oakblue which is quite tricky to shoot.

Aberrant Oakblue

Arhopala abseus abseus

This Oakblue is as small as an Arhopala perimuta and if you don't use any flash when taking its photo, it will appear very dark.

Lifer # 4

Now we move to another species which I have always wanted to see.

Green Flash !

Artipe eryx excellens

Female

As its name suggest, this is certainly an excellent butterfly ! I noticed that there are already quite a number of people who have seen it although it is considered quite rare over here or at the least uncommon. Under a shady tree foliage you will probably will not able to see it. Luckily for me, It flew out to a more open sunny area. Just this shot and then off she went.

Here's another excellent butterfly !

Malayan Red Harlequin

Paralaxita damajanti damajanti

Only once awhile I will get to see it.

Now we are back to the more common ones!

Saturn

Zeuxidia amethystus amethystus 

This is a male cause I was able to see its nice upperside blue bands.

Finally I am able to show its greenish upperside which often appear milky white on most photos.

Banded Swallowtail 

Papilio demolion demolion

Most often you will see this butterfly flying around like the Malayan Wanderer (Pareronia valeria) instead of coming down to puddle.

Dwarf Banded Demon

Notocrypta pria 

Small and skittish. Probably uncommon as well.

Dwarf Banded Demon

Notocrypta pria 

It can be quite difficult to identify this skipper unless you get to see it entire band clearly.

Here is a skipper which is reported to be quite common but somehow I only managed to see it twice.

Ganda Dart 

Potanthus ganda ganda

Here comes a few small ones.

The Singleton

Una usta usta

Uncommon and very localised species.

Dark-based Line Blue

Prosotas gracilis ni

More common than the above I believe.

Malayan Zebra

Graphium delessertii delessertii

Not rare but only common in certain locations.

These are the best photos I have got for this Cyclops.

Eyed Cyclops

Erites argentina delia

Looks like a male

Eyed Cyclops

Erites argentina delia

It was seen just by the road side and in the morning.

ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILDREN TO TAKE UP A SPORT OR HOBBY AND YOU WILL SEE HOW MUCH THEY WILL ENJOY THEIR LIVES !!