Butterfly of the Month - October 2023

Butterfly of the Month - October 2023

The Pygmy Posy (Drupadia rufotaenia rufotaenia)

A Pygmy Posy forages at a young shoot of the Bandicoot Berry (Leea indica)

As we bid October 2023 farewell, watchers of the Doomsday Clock will be wondering if there will be another update soon. The Israeli-Palestinian war adds another brutal skirmish to the world's woes even as the Russia-Ukraine battles continue unabated. The world is now even more unstable than we began the year 2023 with. The month of October belongs to the astrological sign Libra. For those born between 23 September and 22 October, you are a Libran. We featured Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo and Virgo in the preceding Butterfly of the Month blogposts and will now move into the next in the series. The 12 zodiac signs are Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces.

Libra (♎︎) (Ancient Greek: Ζυγός, romanized: Zygós, Latin for "scales") is the seventh astrological sign in the zodiac. The symbol of the scales is based on the Scales of Justice held by the goddes Themis, the Greek personification of divine law and custom. She became the inspiration for modern depictions of Lady Justice. Libra is the only zodiac sign that is represented by an inanimate object; with the other eleven signs represented by either an animal or mythological character.

A Pygmy Posy perches on the tip of a leaf in the shady understory in the nature reserves.

People born under the sign of Libra are known for their peaceful and fair nature, and they see the world through their pacifist eyes. Partnership is crucial for them, and they seek someone who can reflect their inner selves. Librans are fascinated by balance and symmetry, and they are constantly striving for justice and equality. They are willing to go to great lengths to avoid conflict and maintain peace whenever possible.

Librans typically do not hold grudges, as it can take a lot to rouse and sustain their anger. Being very Venusian, they typically assume the best intentions in others and give most people many chances to redeem themselves. A Libran's life philosophy is "Let's just all get along." For this sign, compromise is key. Librans don't do well when anyone isn't happy, and they're especially adept at inviting other signs to see things from a different perspective

The classic Libra indecisiveness, while rooted in an ability to weigh all sides, can thwart this sign's ability to make choices. In wanting to be inclusive, they find it difficult to discriminate, yet there will be times when they need to commit to a path and accept this will sacrifice other options. Libra's love of beauty and refinement may have to be measured with soulfulness, and earthiness, allowing them to play in the muck of life so that they do not come across as aloof or snobby.

As the world searches for peace, we turn to our Butterfly of the Month for October 2023 - The Pygmy Posy (Drupadia rufotaenia rufotaenia). Considered a rarity, this small Lycaenidae has a wingspan of about 20mm.  It is one of three species of the genus Drupadia that exists in Singapore. It makes a regular appearance within the forested areas of the nature reserves, but appears to have become more rare in recent years.

At a glance, this species closely resembles the Common Posy, but is much smaller. It has a weak and erratic flight but is skittish and alert to movements. It is often encountered on the young shoots of the Bandicoot Berry (Leea indica) on which it feeds on the sugary excretions of these young shoots. Whenever it appears, it is mostly observed singly.

A Pygmy Posy looks for secretions on a young shoot of the Bandicoot Berry (Leea indica)

The male and female Pygmy Posy are both dark brown on the upperside. The underside is marked and coloured similarly to the Common Posy, but the solid black lines on the hindwing below are packed tighter and closer together. The orange submarginal band on the hindwing extends to vein 3 of this hindwing and this is an important diagnostic characteristic to separate the Pygmy Posy from its lookalikes.

The dark bands on the underside of the forewing are usually broader and heavily marked compared to its other cousins in the genus. The eyes are jet black and the antennae are orange-tipped. The tornal blue scaling is quite extensive and the hindwing possesses three white tails of which the one at vein 2 is the longest. The early stages of the Pygmy Posy still eludes us, and it is hoped that we will one day discover its caterpillar host plant, which is probably found within the nature reserves.

Text by Khew SK : Photos by Chng CK, Khew SK, Koh CH, Loh MY, Low JK, Richard Ong and Mark Wong

Three Posies

Featuring the Common Posy, Dark Posy and Pygmy Posy

One of the definitions of the word Posy is a bouquet. Indeed, the three species of Posy found here in Singapore resemble colourful flowers with attractive black markings. Each species is endowed with three pairs of tails on the hindwings with the tail at vein 2 being the longest of the three.

The Posies belong to the genus Drupadia, of which three species are known to exist in Singapore. All three are forest species and are usually encountered in the nature reserves in the shaded understorey. At times they are found sunbathing with wings opened flat, displaying their blue or purple uppersides. They have a habit of fluttering with a skipping flight, and in some individuals, returning to the same favourite perch time and again. Males generally have a stronger flight than females.

The Common Posy (Drupadia ravindra moorei)

The most frequently encountered species is the Common Posy (Drupadia ravindra moorei). In the male, the forewing is dark brown and the hindwing a very attractive azure blue. The female is mainly brown, with a faint orange discal patch in some individuals. The underside is orange on the forewing with orange and black markings, and mainly white on the hindwing, with black solid bands and spots. Along the tornal edge are iridescent blue scales and the black-centred white tails emerge from veins 1b, 2 and 3, with the tail at vein 2 being the longest.

Upperside of a male Common Posy


Upperside of a female Common Posy

The Dark Posy (Drupadia theda thesmia)

The next species, the Dark Posy (Drupadia theda thesmia) is less often seen but occasionally several are seen together, frolicking at tree-top level in the late hours of the afternoon basking on the tops of leaves when the sun shines through the forest canopy. The male is dark purple above with an orange discal patch on the forewing. This form, f-minara is the typical male form found in Singapore. The female is brown with a bluish grey tornal patch on the hindwing which has a few black submarginal spots.

Upperside of a male Dark Posy


Upperside of a female Dark Posy

On the underside, the forewing is dark orange marked with darker transverse stripes, whilst the hindwing is white with black spots and lines. This species can be separated from the lookalike Common Posy in that the space between the two black stripes forming the cell-end bar on the hindwing beneath is white, and not solid black as in the Common Posy.

The Pygmy Posy (Drupadia rufotaenia rufotaenia)

The final and rarest of the three Posy species in Singapore is the Pygmy Posy (Drupadia rufotaenia rufotaenia). This species, which suggest a small female of the Common Posy, which it resembles. The Pygmy Posy has a wingspan of 20mm, which is about half the size of its other two cousins. In Singapore, it is often seen feeding on the sugary sap of the young shoots of the forest bush, Leea indica, where it stays still for long periods of time unless disturbed.

It can be reliably separated from the other two Posies in that the narrow submarginal orange band on the hindwing beneath is continuous from 1a and extends to vein 3.

Text by Khew SK ; Photos by Khew SK, Sunny Chir, Horace Tan, Federick Ho.