Butterfly of the Month - August 2011

Butterfly of the Month - August 2011
The Common Lascar (Pantoporia hordonia hordonia)

Once again, we're back to the month of August, the eighth month of the year that was named in honour of Emperor Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus, who is considered the 1st Emperor of the Roman Empire.  He ruled the Empire from 27BC to AD14.  In Singapore, August is the month of its National Day, where on 9 Aug 1965, it separated from the Federation of Malaysia and became and independent republic. 

In 2011, multicultural Singapore, our Muslim friends celebrate Hari Raya Puasa (on 30 Aug)  whilst the Chinese community observe the Month of the Hungry Ghost, which ends on 28 Aug.  It's also a significant month in that, for the first time in the history of Singapore, the Presidential Elections feature a total of four candidates for the Presidency!  It will be an interesting polling day on 27 Aug 2011.

The birthstone for the month of August is the sardonyx, a variant of the stone onyx, where the coloured alternating bands in the stone are shades of reddish-orange.  Onyx is formed of bands of chalcedony in alternating colors. It is cryptocrystalline, consisting of fine intergrowths of the silica minerals quartz and moganite. Its bands are parallel to one another.

Wear a sardonyx or for thee,

No conjugal felicity;
The August-born without this stone,
`Tis said, must live unloved and lone.
- Gregorian Birthstone Poems

This month, we feature a small but irritatingly skittish butterfly (to us photographers), the Common Lascar.  The species is a forest-dependent species, and is usually found within the nature reserves of Singapore.  It is a relatively weak-flyer, but is skittish and quickly takes to the treetops if disturbed.  It has a distinctive flap-glide flight and usually stops to sunbathe on the tops of leaves at sunlit spots in the forested areas. 

It is often found in the vicinity of its host plant, the Petai (Parkia speciosa) which grows wild in the forested nature reserves.  The females of the Common Lascar have often been observed flying near its host plant, trying to oviposit on the young leaves of the plant. 

There are four lookalike Lascars extant in Singapore, and they are often difficult to identify when in flight.  The characteristics that separate the four species (of which two are in the genus Pantoporia and the other two in the genus Lasippa) generally occur in the forewing submarginal markings.

The Common Lascar features the typical alternate black-orange bands on the upperside of the wings.  However, unlike the other members of the lookalike Lascars, the Common Lascar is the only species that feature striated and marbled underside markings. The thick orange submarginal line on the upperside of the forewing also distinguishes it from the other similar looking Lascars.

The species is relatively common, particularly in local areas within the nature reserves where there are young plantlets of its host plant growing in the vicinity.  It has also been observed to puddle at damp spots on the forest floor, but is more frequently observed fluttering amongst the shaded forest understory, stopping with its wings opened flat on the tops of leaves. 

Text by Khew SK : Photos by Federick Ho, Khew SK; Tang HB & Horace Tan

Life History of the Common Birdwing

Life History of the Common Birdwing (Troides helena cerberus)

Butterfly Biodata:
Genus: Troides Hübner, 1819
Species: helena Linnaeus, 1758
Subspecies: cerberus C&R Felder, 1865
Wingspan of Adult Butterfly: 100-140mm
Local Caterpillar Host Plant: Aristolochia acuminata (Aristolochiaceae, common name: Indian Birthwort, Dutchman's Pipe) .



A female Common Birdwing taking nectar from Ixora in an urban hill park


Ar female Common Birdwing taking nectar from Pagoda Flower in a nature park.

Physical Description of Adult Butterfly:
The forewings of both sexes are black with veins typically edged with greyish streaks, more conspicuously so in the female. The hindwings are rick golden yellow with black veins and black borders. In addition, the female has a complete series of rather large submarginal black spots, while the male has just one or a few submarginal spots.


A male Common Birdwing.


A female Common Birdwing.

Field Observations of Butterfly Behaviour:
The Common Birdwing is uncommon in Singapore, and is usually found where its host plants are cultivated. The adults are strong flyers and are capable of flying long distances and at considerable height in a bird-like manner. The adults have been sighted both in forested areas as well as in urban parks and gardens. As is the case for many of the Papilionidae species, an adult taking nectar from flowers can flutter its forewings whiles its hindwings are kept relatively still.


A female Common Birdwing taking nectar from flowers of an Acacia sp.



Early Stages:
The sole recorded local host plant, Aristolochia acuminata, is a perennial vine and can be found cultivated in various locations locally. In the wild, this plant can also be found in forests and open lowland thickets. The caterpillars of the Common Birdwing feed on the leaves and the young shoots of this plant.


Host plant : Aristolochia acuminata.

A mating pair of the Common Birdwing.

The eggs of the Common Birdwing are typically laid singly on the leaf surface or the stem of the host plant. It is however not uncommon that eggs are also laid on nearby natural objects or artificial structures. The spherical egg has its surface coated with a non-uniform layer of orange-yellow or whitish granulated substance. Diameter: 1.9-2.0mm.


Two views of an orange-colored egg of the Common Birdwing.


Two views of a white-coated egg of the Common Birdwing


A mature egg of the Common Birdwing showing the young caterpillar chipping away at the egg shell.

The egg takes about 6 days to hatch. The young caterpillar eats its way out of the mature egg, and then proceeds to devour the rest of the egg shell. The newly hatched is about 4.5-4.8mm long and has a black head, rows of short dorsal-lateral and lateral tubercles with tufts of short setae emanating from the terminal ends. It is mainly reddish brown with orange coloration on the anterior and posterior segments, and on the 4th abdominal segment.


A newly hatched caterpillar eating the egg shell.


Two views of a 1st instar caterpillar, newly hatched, length: 4.5mm.

After about 2-3 days in 1st instar, the caterpillar moults to the next instar.


Two views of a late 1st instar caterpillar, about to moult to the next instar, length: 8mm.

The 2nd instar caterpillar has a similar appearance to the 1st instar caterpillar except for the longer and fleshy processes, now devoid of the tufts of setae at their terminal ends. These fleshy dorso-lateral processes are colored in pinky or salmon red for those on 2nd-3rd thoracic, 4th abdominal and last 3 abdominal segments. The 2nd instar lasts 2-3 days and the body length reaches up to about 11mm before the next moult.


Two views of a 2nd instar caterpillar, early in this stage, length: 8.5mm


2nd instar caterpillar, late in this stage, length: 11mm

The 3rd instar brings about the appearance of a pale pinkish or whitish saddle straddling the 3rd-4th abdominal segments. This instar takes 2-3 days to complete with body grown to about 21mm in length.


Two views of a 3rd instar caterpillar, length: 19mm.


Two views of a late 3rd instar caterpillar, about to moult to the next instar, length: 20mm.

The 4th instar caterpillar has a more prominent saddle in pale yellowish brown or white coloration. extensive white markings on it body. The white patch on the posterior abdominal segments has extended to the whole of abdominal segment 7 and white lateral patches appear on the thoracic segments. This instar lasts about 4 days with body length reaching about 33mm.


Two views of a 4th instar caterpillar, early in this stage, length 22.5mm.


Two views of a 4th instar caterpillar, late in this stage, length 33mm.

The next moult brings the caterpillar to the 5th and final instar. Featuring the same layout of the fleshy processes, the body is uniformly colored in coffee brown to dark brown with the saddle mark painted in a comparatively lighter shade of greyish brown.


Two views of a a 5th instar caterpillar, late in this stage, length: 53mm.


A 5th instar caterpillar chomping away at a young stem in the field.

The 5th instar lasts for about 5 days, and the body length reaches up to 57-60mm. Toward the end of this instar, the body gradually shortens in length. Eventually the caterpillar comes to rest on the lower surface of a stem. It then goes on to spin a silk pad and a silk girdle to secure itself and becomes a non-mobile pre-pupatory larva.


A pre-pupatory larva of Common Birdwing.

All instars of the Common Birdwing possess a fleshy organ called osmeterium in the prothoracic segment. Usually hidden, the orange-coloured osmeterium can be everted to surprise any intruder when the caterpillar senses a threat.


Partially everted osmeterium of a final intar Common Birdwing caterpillar

The osmeterium can still be everted at the early pre-pupal stage.

Pupation takes place a day later. The upright pupa suspends itself with a silk girdle from the stem. with its cremaster attached to the silk pad at the lower end. The pupa resembles a rolled-up leaf with a length of about 43-45mm long. There are two colours form: green and brown.

A Common Birdwing caterpillar molts to its pupal stage.

Two colour forms of the Common Birdwing pupa. Dorsal views.

Two colour forms of the Common Birdwing pupa, side views.

After 19-20 days, the pupa turns black as the development within the pupal case draws to a close. The next morning the adult butterfly emerges from the pupal case.


A mature pupa of the Common Birdwing.

An eclosion sequence of the Common Birdwing.

A newly eclosed Common Birdwing clinging on to its empty pupal case.

References:

• [C&P4] The Butterflies of The Malay Peninsula, A.S. Corbet and H.M. Pendlebury, 4th Edition, Malayan Nature Society.
• Butterflies of Thailand, Pisuth Ek-Amnuay, 1st Edition, 2006

Text by Horace Tan, Photos by Terry Ong, James Chia, Bobby Mun, Loke PF, Anthony Wong, Khew SK and Horace Tan

An Audience with the King

An Audience with the King -

Close Encounters with the Rajah Brooke's Birdwing

Two male Rajah Brooke's Birdwings puddling at Kuala Woh Recreational Forest Park



Some time in early June this year, four ButterflyCircle members made the journey up north to Ipoh for a butterfly shooting trip.  We figured out that it would be interesting to try the journey by coach up to Ipoh, and then let Loke borrow his dad's car to explore a few areas around the Ipoh vicinity.



Puddling Kings in the foreground!



Besides making a trip on the first day, to Gua Tempurung in Gopeng, where the BC quartet managed to shoot quite a number of different species, including some rare Hesperiidae and Lycaenidae, our mission was accomplished when most of us managed to shoot the Dragontails and the Banded Peacock - two species frequently seen in that area.

But the subject of this blog article is our second day's trip to the Kuala Woh Recreational Forest Park.  Having been there many decades back as a school kid with my mentor, I had fond memories of Kuala Woh, where I had collected many species that I had not encountered before.  But amongst my most memorable encounters was with the black and emerald Rajah Brooke's Birdwing (Trogonoptera brookiana albescens). 

An overview signage showing all the features and attractions at the Kuala Woh Park

Situated about 13 km from Tapah Town, the Kuala Woh Recreational Forest today has many user-friendly facilities for picnickers and nature lovers.  As it was a long weekend in Malaysia, with a public holiday, many locals were out in numbers, swimming in the river, enjoying a day out their their family members and having a fun day out at the recreational forest. 

A special sign paying tribute to the King Among Butterflies!

When the four of us arrived at Kuala Woh, the car park was already quite packed, and there were many families out to enjoy themselves on this warm humid day.  After a quick recce, we headed for the banks of the river.  We were pleased to see a number of the Rajah Brooke's Birdwings puddling at the sandy banks just beside the river. 

A congregation of male Rajah Brooke's Birdwings at their puddling ground

The butterflies were mesmerising with their black and green wings, fluttering elegantly in their regal splendour and gliding around looking for the choiciest spots to puddle.  Those that were already on the sand were happily puddling away, often so engrossed in their activity of drinking the salts from the most sand, that one could even hold them between one's fingers! 

Our group unpacked our equipment and started to select the best specimens to photograph.  It was challenging when there were so many of these magnificent birdwings fluttering around.  Interestingly, the green scales on the Rajah Brooke's Birdwings' wings took on slightly different hues of greens and blues (and even appeared yellow) when viewed at different angles, or whether the flash from the camera is on or off.

When we were proning along the sandy bank getting eye-level shots of the butterflies, we realised that the sand was hot to the touch!  We then discovered that the area where the butterflies liked to puddle was actually part of a hot spring, where the water contained high mineral content that the butterflies were looking for.



The environment where the Rajah Brooke's Birdwings were puddling at the river bank






The congregation of Rajah Brooke's Birdwings (all males) continued to puddle, oblivious to the increasing crowd of people swimming in the river, and walking around them.  Each time they were disturbed, they took off, flew around and then quickly returned and settled down to drink from the damp sandy banks, with their long black probosces extended.

 

After having our fill of many shots of the Rajah Brooke's Birdwings, we took the opportunity to explore around the Kuala Woh Recreational Park. By then it was getting a bit cloudy. But along the forest trails we still managed to observe quite a few species of butterflies, including a male Rajah Brooke's Birdwing that was resting in the shade, no doubt after having his fill of nutrients from the puddling.
 


















Our objective of seeking an audience with the "King of Butterflies" the Malaysian Rajah Brooke's Birding, was granted!  The four of us left, happy and satisfied at having encountered so many of these beautiful and magnificent butterflies that made the trip to Kuala Woh well worth it. 

All ready to board the coach and back to Singapore!

The following day, we took the coach and headed back to Singapore, each of us wondering when we would return to see the "King" again in the future.

Text by Khew SK : Photos by Chng CK, Khew SK, Koh CH and Loke PF

Special thanks for Loke PF for organising this trip and showing our group around his hometown of Ipon, Malaysia