Saturday, 21 October 2023

Butterflies in Sept 2023 - Some uncommon ones and lifers

Month of September 2023 came and went very fast. With a few trips to some butterflies heavens in Perak and Pahang, I have managed to score a few more uncommon ones and lifers.

Redtail Marquis 

(Bassarona recta monilis de Niceville)

This is an uncommon species.




Distant's Imperial 

(Manto hypoleuca terana)

This is another uncommon one and my lifer.



Great Marquis

(Bassarona dunya dunya)

Looks like this is a female. 



The Baron 

(Euthalia aconthea garuda)



The Baron 

(Euthalia aconthea garuda)



The Baron 

(Euthalia aconthea garuda)



The Baron 

(Euthalia aconthea garuda)

The first two photos were taken in Perak while the later in Selangor.




Single Line Redflash

(Rapala rhodopsis)

Apparently this Rapala is reportedly quite rare !



Short-banded Viscount

(Tanaecia aruna aruna)

Male 


Short-banded Viscount

(Tanaecia aruna aruna)

Female I think. 



Great Swift 

(Pelopidas assamensis)



Great Swift 

(Pelopidas assamensis)

This one was shot with a flash light.




Baby Swift 

(Polytremis minuta)



Ge geta

(Circular Tufted Demon)



Pale-marked Ace

(Halpe hauxwelli)




Common Awl 

(Hasora badra)




Coconut Skipper 

(Hidari irava)

According to literature, they would usually lay their eggs in those twisted dry leaves.




This batwing is one of the most sort after species after the Rajah Brooke's Birdwing.

White-headed Batwing

(Atrophaneura sycorax egertoni)



White-headed Batwing

(Atrophaneura sycorax egertoni)

It was first seen in August 2023.



White-headed Batwing

(Atrophaneura sycorax egertoni)

It flew down from the tree top and landed right in front of me. Some people are just lucky lah!




Cirrochroa malaya malaya 

At the moment this species has no common name yet which makes it more intriguing.



Cirrochroa malaya malaya 

I think this is also the same species but just less pristine. C. surya siamensis forewing would be more rounder and its overall size is also slightly smaller.



Small Leopard 

(Phalanta alcippe alcesta)



Small Leopard 

(Phalanta alcippe alcesta)

This is the only kind of 'Leopard' which doesn't growl.




Horsfield's Baron

(Tanaecia iapis puseda)

Female




Peacock Oakblue

(Arhopala horsfieldi eurysthenes)



Peacock Oakblue

(Arhopala horsfieldi eurysthenes)

Even a half opened wing is good enough for ID.



Peacock Oakblue

(Arhopala horsfieldi eurysthenes)

A 90% opened wings are even better.




This is a larger Oakblue and the most common one I think.

Centaur Oakblue

(Arhopala centaurus nakula)



This could be a Niceville's Dull Oakblue 

(Arhopala avatha)



Niceville's Dull Oakblue 

(Arhopala avatha)



Niceville's Dull Oakblue 

(Arhopala avatha)



Broad Yellow Oakblue

(Arhopala amphimuta milleriana)



Until today this Oakblue remains a mystery.







Even with a flash-on, it was still difficult to ID.




The one below should be easier.

A tattered looking Common Gem

(Perotia hewitsoni taleva)



Common Gem

(Perotia hewitsoni taleva)




Common Gem

(Perotia hewitsoni taleva)




Black Prince

(Rohana parisatis siamensis)

Male

The only place which you can safely see this species is in Gopeng, Perak.



Black Prince

(Rohana parisatis siamensis)

Female



Dark-tipped Archduke 

(Lexias dirtea merguia)




Common Batwing   

(Arthophaneura varuna varuna)


                              

                                              

I think this is a couple. They were seen nearby together.

Wavy Maplet

(Chersonesia intermedia intermedia)




 Extended Brownwing
(Miletus gallus gallus)
                                                      


                                      

Extended Brownwing
                   (Miletus gallus gallus)                    




 
                                                        
Great Brownwing
(Miletus symethus petronius)
                    
   




Great Brownwing
(Miletus symethus petronius)






Aberrant Oakblue

(Flos abseus abseus / Arhopala abseus abseus)




Purple Streaked Catseye

(Coelites euptychioides humilis)




Malay Staff Sergeant

(Athyma reta moorei)



This Painted Jezebel (Delias hyparete metarete) was seen at a mangrove area in Penang mainland.




Autumn Leaf

(Doleschallia bisaltide pratipa)




White Imperial

(Neomyrina nivea periculosa)




White Imperial

(Neomyrina nivea periculosa)




White Imperial

(Neomyrina nivea periculosa)

Female



I will end this September 2023 collections with this lifer.

Lesser Harlequin

(Laxita thuisto thuisto)



Lesser Harlequin

(Laxita thuisto thuisto)

With this sighting, I have finally seen all the Laxitas shown in Dr Kirton's Field Guide.



Here is a comparison between a Lesser Harlequin and a Harlequin / Orange Harlequin.


                             

              

A SATISFYING SEPTEMBER 2023 COLLECTION INDEED !


HAPPY BUTTERFLYING TO ALL !


Saturday, 23 September 2023

Butterflies in August 2023

My butterfly adventures continued in August but with just a few lifers. Here are some of them (both common and uncommon ones)


Orange Banded Flat

(Celaenorrhinus ladana)



A unique looking Malayan Chestnut Bob (Iambrix stellifer)



They looked alike but they are not. 

Talbot's Grass Yellow (Eurema ada iona) - top 

Malayan Grass Yellow (Eurema nicevillei nicevillei) - bottom




Forest Grass Yellow (Eurema simulatrix tecmessa) - in front

Common Grass Yellow (Eurema hecabe hecabe)




Narrow Striped Faun (Faunis gracilis)




Dark Jungle Glory (Thaumantis noureddin noureddin)

Male



Malayan Nawab (Polyura moori moori)



Spotted Grass Bob (Taractrocera ardonia sumatrensis)

Dorsal View



Spotted Grass Bob (Taractrocera ardonia sumatrensis)

Underside View



Spotted Grass Bob (Taractrocera ardonia sumatrensis)

Underside View



Common Posy (Drupadia ravindra moorei)



Calaenorrhinus aurivittatus cameroni

Dark Yellow-banded Flat




Jacintha Eggfly
Hypolimnas bolina jacintha
   
                        (note: apparently its previous name was called H.b iacintha    
                           



Angled Castor (Ariadne ariadne)

Top view


Angled Castor (Ariadne ariadne)

Side view



 
             Mycalesis janardana sagittigera           

Common Bush Brown



Common Rose (Pachliopta aristolochiae asteris)



Brown Bob

(Psolos fuligo fuligo)



Orange Emigrant

(Catopsilia scylla cornelia)



                             
                                           
Curetis santana malayica
Malayan Sunbeam




                                                                           
Curetis santana malayica
Malayan Sunbeam
             





Malayan Mottle
(Logania malayica malayica)

Female



     

Malayan Mottle
(Logania malayica malayica)

Male




Malayan Mottle
(Logania malayica malayica)






Acacia Blue
(Surendra vivarna amisena)




Acacia Blue
(Surendra vivarna amisena)






Pointed Palmfly
(Elymnias penanga penanga)







Yellow Banded Awl
(Hasora schoenherr chuza)





Malayan Lascar
(Lasippa tiga siaka)






Malayan Lascar
(Lasippa tiga siaka)






Blue Posy
(Drupadia scaeva scaeva)






Blue Posy
(Drupadia scaeva scaeva)





Gram Blue
(Euchrysops cnejus cnejus)




HERE COMES THE INTERESTING ONES !!


Dua kuching berlari, kalau bukan dia siapa lagi?

White-headed Batwing
(Atrophaneura sycorax egertoni)

Surprise to see it at lowland and a lifer of course





Here are some main pointers which you should look at when comparing Oakblues (from its underside)





Major Yellow Oakblue 
(Arhopala major major)






Arhopala achelous achelous 

No common name for this one yet.




Arhopala achelous achelous 

(without flash)





Narrow Spark
(Sinthusa nasaka)





Arhopala tropaea

Common name: none yet
Status: Rare





Arhopala tropaea

Quite a small Oakblue.





Banded Red Eye
(Gangara lebadea lebadea)





Streaked Baron
(Euthalia alpheda yamuna)






Streaked Baron
(Euthalia alpheda yamuna)




THAT'S ALL FOLKS !!


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