Butterflies Galore! : Leopard

Butterflies Galore! 
The Leopard (Phalanta phalantha phalantha)

This active and always on the move bright orange butterfly is common and is found mainly in urban parks and gardens where its caterpillar host plants - Salix babylonica (Weeping Willow) and Flacourtia inermis (Rukam assam) grows. The butterfly is fast flying and often feeds and moves quickly with half-opened wings. It is believed to be a relative of the temperate-climate Fritillary butterflies.

This Leopard was photographed by ButterflyCircle member Sunny Chir. It is shown here displaying the underside of its wings, which appears with a purplish wash when seen in sidelight. It is feeding on the ruby-red flower of the Leea rubra.

Butterflies Galore! : White Palm Bob

Butterflies Galore! 
The White Palm Bob (Suastus everyx everyx)

This small and insignificant-looking skipper was a new discovery for Singapore when it was first encountered. Perhaps the early authors missed it as its distribution is rather local and restricted to habitats where its caterpillar host plant, a palm, grows. With a wingspan of up to only 28mm, it is a skittish flyer like most skippers, but prefers to lurk in the shady areas of the forests. It typically perches on the top surface of a leaf with its wings folded upright.

This White Palm Bob was photographed in the nature reserves by ButterflyCircle member Mark Wong. The butterfly is dark brown above, whilst the underside of the hindwing is largely whitened with a dark greyish spot at the dorsal area of the hindwing.

Life History of the Royal Assyrian

Life History of the Royal Assyrian (Terinos terpander robertsia)

Butterfly Biodata:
Genus: Terinos Boisduval, 1836
Species: terpander Hewitson, 1862
Subspecies: robertsia Butler, 1867
Wingspan of Adult Butterfly: 60-70mm
Caterpillar Local Host Plant : Rinorea anguifera (Violaceae).

Physical Description of Adult Butterfly:

The wings are angled with the hindwing slightly toothed at the end of vein 4. Above, the wings are rich purplish blue with two white spots in spaces 3 and 4 on the hindwing. Underneath, the wings are purple-brown with reddish brown and pale blue (shiny in fresh specimens) fasciae crossing both wings. The hindwing has a white submarginal band which is broader and more lunulate in spaces 2 to 4, and a series of dark purple brown post-discal spots which are ringed in orange.

Field Observations of Butterfly Behaviour:

The Royal Assyrian is moderately rare in Singapore. The species is usually encountered in parts of the nature reserves where its host plant, Rinorea anguifera, is growing. The adults have been observed to visit flowers for nectar. When resting, the adults typically perch on the underside of a leaf with its wings closed. The males have also been observed to puddle on damp patches.

Butterflies Galore! : Aberrant Oakblue

Butterflies Galore! 
The Aberrant Oakblue (Arhopala abseus abseus)

The diminutive Oakblue is one of many species in the genus Arhopala.  The many lookalike species in the genus is a nightmare to identify and distinguish the different species.  The Aberrant Oakblue is more distinctive in its markings, and is much easier to separate from the other species in the genus.  It is a fast flyer and is usually skittish.  It lurks in the shady forested understory in Singapore's nature reserves, but is quite widespread and is often observed in urban parks and gardens as well.

This Aberrant Oakblue was photographed by ButterflyCircle member Koh Cher Hern. It was perched on a leaf in its usual pose, with its wings folded upright. The hindwing features three pairs of threadlike white-tipped tails of which the longest pair is at vein 2b of the hindwing. The brilliant purple blue upperside can sometimes be seen as the butterfly takes off when disturbed.

Butterflies Galore! : Lime Butterfly

Butterflies Galore!
The Lime Butterfly (Papilio demoleus malayanus)

The caterpillars of the Lime Butterfly are often considered a pest of the domestic lime plant that is commonly cultivated as a garden plant. Used in Asian cooking, the green fruit of the lime plant is a common ingredient in many local dishes, usually as a garnishing. We have heard of the caterpillars of this species feeding on lime plants along the corridors at the 13th storey of our local public housing!

The butterfly is large and pretty, with black and yellow markings giving the butterfly an almost chequered appearance. The underside is predominantly yellow with black markings. The Lime Butterfly is fast flying but can often be photographed whilst it is visiting flowers, puddling, or just perching on shrubbery to rest. This shot, taken by ButterflyCircle member Nona Ooi, shows the butterfly at rest.

Butterflies Galore! : Banded Swallowtail

Butterflies Galore!
The Banded Swallowtail (Papilio demolion demolion)

The Basket Stinkhorn (Dictyophora indusiata) can be found in our nature reserves.  However, to encounter this beautiful mushroom, one has to go out early, as the netlike white veil will collapse and rot off by noon. The putrid odour emanating from this mushroom attracts flies, carrion beetles and the occasional butterfly.

The Banded Swallowtail shown here, was photographed feeding on the bulbous head of the Basket Stinkhorn. It returned repeatedly to the mushroom to feed and was 'tame' enough to be photographed although it flapped its forewings continuously as it fed, typical of the Papilio species.

Read more about the Stinkhorn mushroom at the Bird Ecology Study Group's website where Dr Wee Yeow Chin elaborates about this species of mushroom found in Singapore's forests.

Butterflies Galore! : Sumatran Sunbeam

Butterflies Galore!
The Sumatran Sunbeam (Curetis saronis sumatrana)

The Sumatran Sunbeam is one of two species of the genus Curetis that exists in Singapore. Although other species were recorded before, they remain elusive and besides the Malayan Sunbeam (Curetis santana malayica) the other species recorded by the early authors have not been reliably identified yet.

The Sumatran Sunbeam is usually found in the mangrove habitats in places like Sg Buloh Wetland Reserve, Pasir Ris Park Mangrove swamp and Pulau Ubin. It is a fast flyer, and females are more often seen than the males of this species. The Sumatran Sunbeam has a habit of flying rapidly, then perching on the underside of a leaf to hide. Two weekends ago, ButterflyCircle member Chng CK managed to capture a shot of this species, perched on the underside of a leaf with its wings folded upright.