Butterflies of Peninsular Malaysia in July 2024 - The Rare and Beautiful Ones !

Although there were not many lifers in July 2024 but one lifer which I've wanted to see for a long time stood above the rest of them.

Blue Nawab

(Polyura schreiber tisamenus)

At first it was flying very fast in a circle. I think it has probably seen me walking towards its direction. In flight it appears whitish like a Chocolate Albatross but larger. I nearly ignore it but luckily it lands on the ground. Curious on what it would be, I walk slowly towards it and my mouth was wide open upon seeing what I saw on the ground. It's a Blue Nawab man !

Blue Nawab

(Polyura schreiber tisamenus)

Fearing that it might get spooked, I took a couple of long distance shots like about 6 m away. Inch by inch I moved slowly towards it and finally got close to just about 1m. I believe there are only a handful of photos of this Nawab in this region. Two weeks later, I went back to the same location but its no longer around so as the 'food' it was consuming earlier. This should be a major lifer for me for many years to come.

White-banded Awl

(Hasora taminatus malayana)

Not too far away from the above Blue Nawab, I saw this Hasora. It was seen hanging upside down at a low bush inside a thick foliage.

Malayan Lacewing

(Cethosia hypsea hysina)

Together with most Lacewings, they are commonly found on hilly areas.

Malayan Lacewing

(Cethosia hypsea hysina)

This Cethosia was seen at a lowland hill just outside KL.

Once awhile you will get to see this. They are not as common as Plum Judy (Abisara) although they can be seen together in the same location.

Malayan Tailed Judy

(Abisara savitri savitri)

Wax Dart

(Cupitha purreea)

Described as either 'rare' or 'uncommon' by many literatures, I was wondering when will I get to see this Dart. Suddenly saw them twice in 2 months. Both at different locations.

It appears like the month of July is the season for Poritia & Simikina.

This is a Common Gem

(Poritia hewitsoni taleva)

(Poritia philota philota)

Malayan Gem

A tiny Gem.

Malayan Gem

(Poritia philota philota)

Usually I have only seen them opening half their uppersides.

They can be quite skittish as well.

Blue Line Brilliant 

(Simiskina pharyge deolina)

This is a rare Simiskina.

Blue Line Brilliant 

(Simiskina pharyge deolina)

It too hardly open its wings.

Poritia promula elegans?

Apparently it's a Sumatran Gem - Poritia sumatrae !

Sumatran Gem

Poritia sumatrae

P. promula is said to be common in hilly areas so the above is not a P. promula.

Sumatran Gem (Poritia sumatrae) 

Due to its odd looking wing shape I had some difficulty to identify this species until a more experienced member pointed it out to me. This could be a female.

Dark Evening Brown

(Melantis phedima abdullae)

Dark Evening Brown

(Melantis phedima abdullae)

This is a male. Seen at a different location from the above female.

Pale-marked Ace

(Halpe hauxwelli)

You probably only see this Halpe in an inland jungle.

Pale-marked Ace

(Halpe hauxwelli)

Apparently Halpe do take artificial baits like belacan as well.

Swinhoe Ace

(Halpe wantona)

This 'Ace' is slightly smaller than the above one.

Plain Palm Dart

(Cephrenes acalle niasicus)

                                                           
                                           Mottled Emigrant                                       

           (Catopsilia pyranthe pyranthe)           

Male (Left), Female (Right)

Blue-banded Jungle Glory

(Thaumantis odana pishuna)

This butterfly can be quite friendly if you approach them slowly while they are puddling. You can basically fill up your SD card with their photos. 

Here is another pristine beauty

Tufted Jungle King

(Thauris aliris pseudaliris)

Red Harlequin

(Paralaxita telesia)

Initially I thought I will just skip this species cause first, it is quite tiny and second I have got a lot of its photos I thought. Since it was posing nicely for me so I thought maybe I just give it a few shots.  Due to its size and non-stop flying, I found it quite difficult to get a clear photo until it stop momentarily. Only when I look further at its photos at home I found that it is not what it seems to be.

This is actually a Blue Quaker (Pithecops fulgens fulgens). 

So happy that I got this shot to confirmed its identity. Definitely a Lifer for me!

Blue Quaker 

(Pithecops fulgens fulgens) / (Pitheceops fulgens fulgens)

Coconut Skipper

(Hidari irava)

This skipper was actually seen near a wild ginger plant.

                                                                              

It is not always you can get an open shot of a skipper but yet seeing one not necessarily you can ID them easily.    

But I think it could be a Conjoined Swift (Pelopidas conjunctus).

Vagrant 

(Vagrans egista macromalayana)

Quite a skittish species which don't allow close photography.

Plush

(Sithon nedymond nedymond)

Female

Its bright colours makes it a standout in a dark jungle.

Yellow-bodied Clubtail

(Losaria neptunus neptunus)

Like a large wasp. Only seen it three times up until now

Sullied Sailor

(Neptis nata gononata)

            Small Yellow Sailor

            (Neptis miah batara)

Circular Tufted Demon

(Ge geta)

It can also be mistakenly identified as a Full Stop Swift (Caltoris cormosa) 

Long-banded Silverline

(Spindasis lohita senama)

NOW FOR THE OAKBLUES.

Malayan Oakblue 

(Arhopala myrzalina)

One of those rare Oakblues. 

Large Metallic Oakblue

(Arhopala aedias agnis)

One of the largest Oakblues I have seen so far. It's about the size of a Faunis.

 

Large Metallic Oakblue

(Arhopala aedias agnis)

It can actually retract / hide its tail.

Green-suffused Oakblue

(Arhopala trogon)

I did not see any green colours when it flew off. So I believe this could be a female.

Tailed Disc Oakblue

(Arhopala atosia jahara)

Tailed Disc Oakblue

(Arhopala atosia jahara)

Golden Oakblue

(Arhopala phanda)

Golden Oakblue

(Arhopala phanda)

Here is something different. Apparently this is a Common Flying Lizard (Draco sumatranus). It was seen on the ground. I believe it's a female.

Lastly I leave this month's post with this grumpy old man.

Narrow Spark

(Sinthusa nasaka amba)

ADIOUS SENOR  AND SENORITAs!

Butterflies in June 2024

In June I visited a place which I have not been in many years. It is located at the far end of the state of Kedah, in a place called Baling. There were many visitors at that time so I headed to a few trails which have less humans and cars. There were at least 5 - 6 trails at this site and you might take more than one day to cover them all. I heard a few Trogons calling but surprisingly less butterfly varieties. Perhaps the food plants like Leea indica and Lantanas are not flowering then. 

Malayan Birdwing

(Troides amphrysus ruficollis)

This is a male. There were a few of them flying around at different trails which means this could be a conducive mating and breeding habitat for this species.

Wax Dart 

(Cupitha pureea)

There were already sightings by other spotters in two different states just a few weeks before this. 

Little Map

(Cyrestis themire themire)

I have not come across any photos which show a protrusion / extension such as this on this species.

Little Map

(Cyrestis themire themire)

As mentioned by Dr Kirton in his field guide, this species likes to hang upside down under a leaf.

Common Faun

(Faunis canens arcesilas)

Always at ground level and loves to 'eat' rotten fruits.

Common Faun

(Faunis canens arcesilas)

This fella here is its close relative

Narrow Striped Faun

(Faunis gracilis)

Common Five Ring

(Ypthma horsfieldii humei)

First time seeing a jagged looking HW

                                                                         

A much smaller and lesser known Lexias.

Lexias canenscens pardalina

Yellow Archduke

Yellow Flat

(Mooreana trichoneura trichoneura)

A moderately uncommon flat.

Blue Brilliant

(Simiskina phalia potina)

This is a female

Dark Posy 

(Drupadia thedia thesmia f minara)

Plush

(Sithon nedymond nedymond)

Male

Dull White Palmer

(Acerbas martini)

This should be an uncommon skipper

Dull White Palmer

(Acerbas martini)

It was very skittish as it gave me only three shots - two was fine and one was blur.

Green Oakblue 

(Arhopala eumolphus maxwelli)

Only seen this Oakblue three times in my life so far.

Common Disc Oakblue

(Arhopala epimuta epiala)

A localised and just a moderately common Oakblue. The faint white cilia can be seen here.

Banded Yeoman

(Cirrochroa orissa orissa)

Common but looks nice in the sun.

                                                                           
                                                                     

Clavate Banded Demon

(Notocrypta clavata clavata)

Banded Red Forester

(Lethe minerva minerva)

My lifer in June ! Very skittish - at first it flew away from me at first sight. Then luckily it came back.

Malayan Batwing 

(Atrophaneura nox erebus)

According to Dr Kirton, Malayan Batwing is similar to a Common Batwing (A. varuna) except that A. nox has rounder forewings and is red only at the tip of its abdomen which both features can be seen here.

Angled Cylops

(Erites angularis angularis)

Most Cylops are deep forest species and hardly common. 

Red Bush Brown

(Mycalesis oroatis ustulata)

My 1st lifer. Although reportedly common but I guess it's quite localised.

Malayan White Flat

(Seseria affinis kirmana)

This is a uncommon species. My 2nd lifer.

Malayan White Flat

(Seseria affinis kirmana)

A fast flyer and quite skittish. 

Gem Demon

(Ancistroides gemmifer)

This is just a moderately common skipper.

The Constable 

(Dirchorragia nesimachus)

A rare and beautiful butterfly. Only my 2nd time seeing it.

A mega species with a beauty to behold.

The big ones came marching in. Here's the first one.

Tawny Rajah

(Charaxes bernardus crepax)

This looks very different than its usual orange-brown underside.

Another big one.

Jewelled Nawab

(Polyura delphis concha)

Red Helen

(Papilio helenus helenus)

Red Helens are quite common - only inside the forest but not at its fringes. 

Malayan Cruiser

(Vindula erota chersonesia)

The most effective way to differentiate it from a Lesser Cruiser (Vindula dejone) is from the sub-marginal lunules/lines which are joined / straighter on a Lesser Cruiser.

De niceville Oakblue

(Arhopala agrata)

This is one of those few Oakblues which I am able to identify.

White-dot Oakblue

(Arhopala democritus lycaenaria)

                                                                
                            Light Straw Ace                                                     Dark Banded Ace                           

                    (Pithauria stramineipennis)                                            (Halpe  ormenes)                                                                

            

Plain Yellow Lancer

(Xanthoneura corissa)

One of the ways to differentiate it from a Matapa aria (Common Redeye) is from the yellow patch at its lower antenna which does not show on a Matapa aria.

 

                                                                    

Common Jester

(Symbrenthia lilaea luciana)

A two in one shot !

Malayan Red Harlequin (Paralaxita damajanti) - behind 

and Red Harlequin (Paralaxita telesia) - front

Malayan Red Harlequin

(Paralaxita damajanti)

Red Harlequin 

(Paralaxita telesia lyclene)

Pointed Palmfly

(Elymnias penanga penanga)

I end this month's post with this skipper which you might not have seen it having such a vibrant colours.

Red Demon 

(Ancistroides armatus armatus)

This is a deep forest skipper. Hardly venture out in the open or even near a trail. It is slightly larger than a Chocolate Demon (Ancistroides nigrita).

It stayed quite close to the ground underneath a thick foliage.

THE END FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE 2024