Butterflies in October 2022: Some lessons on butterflies' ID

For this October there were three rare ones seen. Some were straight forward while some need close observation before one can verify their existence. Here is the first one.

Koh-i-Noor (Amathuxidia amythaon dilucida)

This is a male. Saw its bluish and white band upperside when it flew off. It is reported to be rare probably due to its cryptic personality and its sensitivity towards human presence. I was lucky to get some photos of it before it flew away. Also thanks to a fellow butterfly enthusiast who alerted us of its presence.

When I first saw it, it perched quite low and partially hidden by some bushes. So I quietly moved to a higher ground so that I could get a full view of it. Very happy to finally get my target species after so many years.

Here is a rare skipper with a rather unusual scientific name. My 'lifer' # 338.

Ge geta (Circular Tufted Demon)

Three pertinent field marks can be seen here which points them to the species:

1) Long antenna, 2) Smaller hyaline spots and 3) Darker underside.

The third rare one is also another skipper.

White-tipped Palmer (Lotongus calathus calathus)

It perched nicely for this shot.

White-tipped Palmer (Lotongus calathus calathus)

If you may have noticed the other subspecies i.e Lotongus avesta - it has two small spots at its forewing apex area which are absence in the above species.

Arhopala species are difficult to identify but with the help from experienced butterfly spotters you can actually confirmed their respective ID.

This is a Broad Yellow Oakblue (Arhopala amphimuta amphimuta).

The above species was identified from the "V" shape at its lower arm as indicated above. Reported to be a common butterfly by CP5 but I hardly come across it.

Here is a 'Neptis' which would need closer examination to positively ID it.

This is a Neptis harita harita (Moore) aka Chocolate Sailor. One of its important feature is the little protrusion on its forewing band as indicated above.

An underside view of a Chocolate Sailor

I saw two of them.

Here is a comparison of two female Tanaecia.

                             

          Horsfield's Baron (Tanaecia iapis iapis)         Malayan Viscount (Tanaecia pelea pelea)            

   

Other than their forewing markings, Tanaecia iapis iapis is slightly larger in appearance than T. pelea pelea.

Here are a few tiny butterflies which I came across during my trip to a mangrove area in Penang.

Gram Blue (Euchrysops cnejus cnejus)

Looks like this species is more common in the northern region of Peninsular Malaysia.

Gram Blue

Gram Blue

The next butterfly below here is even more tiny.

Lesser Grass Blue (Zizinia otis lampa)

Lesser Grass Blue (Zizinia otis lampa) - Male

Lesser Grass Blue (Zizinia otis lampa)

Lesser Grass Blue (Zizinia otis lampa) - Female

All were seen at a flat grass land near the mangroves.

Now back to the jungle species.

This is a Large Long-branded Flitter (Isma umbrosa umbrosa)

Quite common it seems.

Common Bush Brown (Mycalesis janardana)

The Knight

Prosotas nora superdates caught in flight

Common Line Blue

Along side with Rustic (Cupha erymanthis), you would most likely also find a Junonia on a bright sunny day.

Chocolate Pansy (Junonia hedonia)

Tawny Rajah (Charaxes bernadus) 

Tawny Rajah is reported to be uncommon but at its favourite locations, it can be quite common.

Common Hedge Blue (Acytolepis puspa lambi)

One of the better photos I have taken on this species.

Common Hedge Blue (Acytolepis puspa lambi)

IT'S ALMOST YEAR END ! HOPE TO SEE MORE NEW BUTTERFLIES !

Butterflies in September 2022

The month of September 2022 saw many species from the "Orange Club". Most of them were seen in the Klang Valley despite the incoming rainy season over here.

Plush (Sithon nedymond)

So far I have been seeing only the females of this species (like the one above). Are males of this species scarcier than females ?

The above maplet I believe is a Greater Wavy Maplet (Chersonesia rahria rahria). Besides its larger size, it was identified from its narrower discal band as indicated above.

It is just slightly larger than Chersonesia intermedia (Wavy Maplet)

Common Yeoman (Cirrochroa tyche rotundata)

This subspecies of Cirrrochroa tyche is less common than the other subspecies.

This one is a female Malay Staff Sergeant (Arthyma reta moorei)

The female of this species is less common than the males which has black uppersides instead.

Plain Lacewing (Cethosia methypsea methypsea)

Reported to be an unpleasant butterfly for any birds to eat.

It is quite an uncommon species here.

Tawny Rajah (Charaxes bernarduscrepax)

This "Mr Rajah" refused to come down from the tree tops and stayed there for the entire day. 

After the "Orange Club" has dispersed, came members from other clubs.

Great Mormon  (Papilio memnon agenor) 

On numerous occasions I have seen it flying in between the trees along the trail but it hardly stops. This time I said a little prayer that it will stop for a moment for me and it actually did ! Yahoo !

As its name suggests it is one of the biggest Papilios in this region. It did flew off for moment but luckily it came back again. So happy to finally able to get its open wings shot. This is a male.

The Wizard (Rhinopalpa polynice eudoxia)

Although not rare but it's an uncommon butterfly.

Experts have ID this one as a Malayan Baron (Euthalia monina monina)

Looks like this species has a lot of different upperside color variations.

Another uncommon beauty.

Tawny Palmfly (Elymnias panthera)

Malayan Sailor (Neptis duryodana nesia)

Malayan Sailor - same butterfly but at different angle of light

           

                                 Under a shade                                               Under direct sun light                                                                                            

                              

Then a "Sergeant" came calling.

Lance Sergeant (Athyma parvara helma)

This "Flat" has a lot of thick hairs and apparently it is raising them up to regulate hot hair in a cold morning.

Common Snow Flat (Tagiades japetus atticus)

         

             Once it has warmed up, it went to have its daily breakfast of 'syrups'.

Here is another flat but it's less common.

Straight Snow Flat (Tagiades parra naxos)

After the medium ones have gone, here comes the smaller species.

This is an Ancyra Blue (Catopyrops ancyra aberrans)
                                                 

Ancyra Blue (Catopyrops ancyra aberrans)  

Reported to be rare or perhaps an uncommon species.

Prosotas aluta nanda (Barred Line Blue)

Barred Line Blue

Initially I thought this could be a Prosotas pia pia (Margined Line Blue) but experts say that P. pia pia is a montane species. The next possibility would be a Prosotas gracilis ni but the above has a tail. So which species could it be? Note:  this is most likely a Prosotas bhutea (Bhutya LineBlue) !

Next one is less confusing.

Ciliate Blue (Anthene emolus goberus)

This is a very small Prosotas and it can fly very fast.

Prosotas nora superdates (Common Line Blue)

Common Line Blue - its upperside color is actually brownish but it can also look slightly bluish.

               

Brownish                                                       Bluish               

Here is a friendly and common butterfly.

Cycad Blue (Luthrodes pandava)

Saw at least 10 of them on just one ornamental palm tree which was below this hill in Ipoh.

Wonder what other species of butterflies are lurking above there.

The above photos were taken from a handphone so the quality was a bit out of shape.

Note its four instead of the usual three hindwing black spots.

Malayan Yellow-veined Lancer (Pyroneura latoia)

What was that thing?

Here is my second mega lifer butterfly for this year !

                   Blue Begum (Prothoe franck uniformis)

So happy that it stayed on the tree trunk for some close up shots. A rare butterfly indeed. The above could be a male. I did not use any flash for fear that it might fly away.

Another diurnal moth

It was there for the entire morning.

A tragedy for one species but food for another.

LOOKS LIKE SEPTEMBER HAS BEEN ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL MONTH FOR ME !  HOPEFULLY THERE WILL BE MORE MEGA LIFERS IN THE MONTH OF OCTOBER. CHOW FOR NOW !