Butterflies in July 2021 (1st Half)

The month of July saw just a few butterflies due to the rainy weather and the extended lockdown. Most of the photos here are those butterflies which appeared in late June and early July. Most of them were seen basically from nearby parks and gardens.

This skipper was once described by the literature as a common garden butterfly but nowadays I believe you can hardly see them.

Grass Demon (Udaspes folus)

It was seen on a periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) flower which is located in my neighbourhood. 

So lucky that it stood there for a couple of minutes.

Many butterflies (especially rare ones) seldom open their wings but when one opens it wings, it's like a grand invitation for you to appreciate their beauty.

Nacaduba sanaya elioti (Jewel Four-Line Blue).  

To identify this small butterfly an expert had earlier alerted me of its 'tail-less' feature.  

Here's the underside of the Jewel Four-Line Blue

The one above had been identified by an expert as a male Jamides bochus nabonassa (Dark Cerulean).

Common Cerulean (Jamides celeno aelianus)

A female Abisara saturata kausambiodes (Malayan Plum Judy)

Arhopala perimuta perimuta (Yellowdisc Oakblue)

Athyma kanwa kanwa (Dot-dash Sergeant)

The above is a seldom seen female Athyma nefte subrata (Colour Sergeant)

Observing a butterfly ovipositing in your garden is a chance of a life time. Here is a common female Pygmy Grass Blue (Zizula hylax pygmaea) doing just that.

The female Pygmy Grass Blue was seen ovipositing on a young flower bud of a Ruellia squarrosa (Water Bluebell).

You can see one of its eggs here

Another one can be seen on the top flower bud.

To minimise the risk of losing all its eggs, it will spread it across all the young flower buds as seen from the above photos.

Tailed Jay (Graphium agamemnon agamemnon)

A common butterfly along the forest trails which is more often observed flying around than landing on a leaf.

Spotted Black Crow (Euploea crameri bremeri)

This is an uncommon 'Delieas' which is reported to be a migrating butterfly.

Red-based Jezebel (Delias pasithoe parthenope)

Malayan Sunbeam (Curetis santana malayica)

Check out its different antenna colors

 Fluffy Tit (Zeltus amasa maximminianus)

Common Imperial (Cherita freja frigga)

Pointed Palmfly (Elymnias penanga penanga) 

The above butterfly is a rather uncommon male which has a beautiful deep bluish purple on its forewing upperside.

Blue Posy (Drupadia scaeva scaeva)

Blue Posy (Drupadia scaeva scaeva) - female

The Malay Yeoman (Cirrochroa malaya malaya)

Trying to blend in with the color of the leaves.

A loving pair of Dark Banded Ace (Halpe ormenes vilasina)

Harlequin (Taxila haquinus haquinus)

There was once a campaign in Singapore to save its population in the island.

Here are a few common skippers which you might probably encounter

Swinhoe Ace (Halpe wantona)

Halpe pelethronix pelethronix (Peninsular Ace)

Pothantus omaha omaha (Lesser Dart)

Plain Tufted Lancer (Isma iapis iapis)

Oriens gola pseudolus (Common Dartlet)

A pristine looking Branded Imperial (Eooxylides tharis distanti)

Hypolimnas bolina (Great Eggfly)

Apparently there are two ssp of bolinas in this region i.e i) H. bolina bolina and ii) H. bolina jacintha. H. bolina bolina which is the 'original' ssp in this region was reportedly been displaced by H. bolina jacintha since about 30 years ago. It was also said that interbreeding between the ssp has occurred and that the female form has many variables.

I presumed the above is a H. bolina bolina as H. bolina jacintha is now quite uncommon.

Another H. bolina bolina - a female I presumed.

Lastly but not least, here is a common butterfly which you will encounter 

Common Five-Ring (Ypthima baldus newboldi)

Butterflies in June 2021 (Part 3) - Rare and Enchanting Butterflies

In this final 3 part series of butterflies in June 2021, I will highlight those rare and uncommon ones which came out from the deep forest. Its amazing to see these rare insects in a lowland forest without having to venture into a primary forest. 

The above skipper is called a Brush Flitter and is reported to be very rare in this region

Its scientific name is: Hyarotis microsticta microsticta It came like a flash of light and landed on a waist high bush for just a couple of shots and then off it went. It was probably traversing from one valley into another and stopped momentarily to see what was this human being up to. 

Ultra Snow Flat (Tagiades ultra)

This flat is reported to be uncommon to moderately rare and it was seen in the morning

The above Ultra Snow Flat was however seen way up on the middle of a tall tree.

Silver-spotted lancer / Chequered Lancer  (Pastingia naga)

The above skipper is considered as moderately rare.

White Palm Bob (Suastus everyx everyx)

This tiny little skipper was once reported to be very rare in this region.

Abnormal / Strange Sergeant, Athyma clerica clerica (Butler)

The above butterfly is also reported to be rare in this region

The Indigo Flash (Rapala varuna orseis)

It stayed high up on the palm tree and refused to come down to eye level

The above Rapala is considered uncommon

Green Oakblue (Arhopala eumolphus maxwelli) 

Although it is uncommon but it is the least uncommon among the green oakblues in this region.

Malayan Baron (Euthalia monina monina decorata)

The above male is reported to be uncommon among the ssp.

The above is the more common form of a Malayan Baron (Euthalia monina monina)

The Chocolate Royal (Remelana jangala travana)

Lastly but not least, I finally met again with the enchanting and beautiful Blue Dandy. It is considered rare in this region.

Blue Dandy (Laringa castelnaui castelnaui)

This time there were two of them dancing and displaying their full colors in front of me. In some folklores, it was said that butterflies can appear as fairies to the unaided mortal eyes. 

They were just flying around at ground level.

Understanding the origins of morphological variation is the main goal of evolutionary development biology (Evo-Devo).

Apparently the scales on a butterfly does not only cover their wings but also their legs and major parts of their body (i.e parts of their thorax, abdomen and even genitalia areas). According to Professor Richard R Ffrench  (2018), butterflies which have "Type IIa" scales will have their visual appearance associated with both their ventral and dorsal side of their wings. In other literatures, it was also said that the iridescent blue colors, typically of certain tropical butterflies are generated physically i.e by structural elaboration of the scales. The above does not have any white outline on its wing peripheral.

While this one above has whitish outline on its wings peripheral.

(Note: the above two Laringas are reportedly to be males)

LOOKS LIKE JUNE IS THE MONTH WHEN NATURE WAS AT ITS BEST