22 August 2015

Life History of the Bamboo Paintbrush Swift

Life History of the Bamboo Paintbrush Swift (Baoris farri farri)


Butterfly Biodata:
Genus: Baoris Moore, 1881
Species: farri Moore, 1878
Sub-species: farri Moore, 1878
Wingspan of Adult Butterfly: 36-40mm
Caterpillar Local Host Plants: Bambusa_heterostachya (Poaceae; common name: Malay Dwarf Bamboo), Bambusa vulgaris (Poaceae, common names: Common bamboo, Buloh Minyak, Buloh Kuning).




Physical Description of Adult Butterfly:
On the upperside, the wings are dark brown. The forewing has hyaline spots in spaces 2-4, 6-8 and 2 cell spots. The female is usually fully spotted and has an additional non-hyaline spot in space 1b on the forewing. The hindwing does not bear any spot, but the male has a black hair tuft in the cell on top of a scent pouch (hence "Paintbrush" in its common name). On the underside, the wings are pale brown and similarly ``spotted'' as per the upperside.



Field Observations of Butterfly Behaviour:
The Bamboo Paintbrush Swift is moderately rare in Singapore. Sightings typically took place in parks, urban gardens and forested areas where clumps of bamboo are growing in the vicinity. The swift-flying adults are relatively large and have been observed to vist flowers for nectar and perching on leaves to sunbathe in sunlit conditions.