Butterflies in January 2025

Its new year again. January came and gone very fast. In the early parts of the month it was raining quite a lot. However, I still managed to score many lifers up on a hill than the lowlands. Here are a few interesting ones which I saw in the lowlands.

Fulvous Dawnfly

Capila phanaeus ferra

From the many photos of this species out there, I noticed that most of them do not have the white spots on their hindwings as compared to this one. Even CP book shows both male and female have dark spots. However, a few photos from Thailand did show photos similar to the above. Hence, it looks like there are many questions to be answered here - was it just a variation, was this a descendant from the Northern side like the Julia heliconian or could it be a new subspecies? My lifer of course and not many local butterfly spotters here have seen it I believe.

Purple Broken-band Oakblue 

Arhopala alitaeus mirabella

Not really a sharp photo but just good enough to ID this Oakblue.

Slowly but surely my Arhopala count will rise. Here is another lifer.

Buddha Oakblue

Arhopala buddha cooperi

I didn't expect to see this species at lowland as most its photos depicted in iNaturalist were captured quite high up like in Fraser's Hill.

Here is a major find I think.

This Mycalesis was seen inside a primary forest in the state of Pahang. It was seen alone beside a stream. From its underside features, they appear to point to this species. Apparently this species is very rare in Peninsular Malaysia.

Horsfield's Bushbrown 

Mycalesis horsfieldi hermana

This one looks like a female.

Yellow Grass Dart 

Taractrocera archias quinta

This is only my second time seeing this Dart. The first time was with a group of butterfly spotters in FRIM, Kepong.

Dartlets like most skippers can be difficult to ID if we don't see their pertinent features.

This is a Ceylon Dartlet.

Oriens goloides

                                                                                      
                                              Ceylon Dartlet                                                 

                 

           Oriens goloides             

Aberrant Oakblue

  Flos abseus abseus

Aberrant Oakblue

  Flos abseus abseus

                                                          

                      Large Long-banded Flitter                                          Plain Tufted Lancer        

                         Isma umbrosa umbrosa                                               Isma iapis iapis

Common Duffer

Discophora sondaica despoliata

Male

Black-veined Tiger

Danaus melanippus hegesippus

Yellow Orange Tip

If you refer to CP's book, the above looks like the Ssp Ixias pyrene birdi bicoloured female. 

Rajah Brooke's Birdwing

Trogonoptera brookiana albescens 

Rajah Brooke's Birdwing

Trogonoptera brookiana albescens 

All were males this time.

Here's a new addition.

Chestnut Bob

Iambrix salsala 

Small Branded Swift

Pelopidas mathias mathias

This one I believe I am about 98% correct.

Forest White

Udaiana cynis cynis

Female

A highly localised species.

This is another forest citizen.

Banded Blue Pierrot

Discolampa ethion thalimar 

Female (upperside dark - no blue at all). It was seen at Taman Negara.

THAT'S ALL FOR THIS MONTH !