Assorted Nectaring Plants

Butterflies' Nectaring Plants
Assorted Flowering Plants - Part 1

A Common Mime feeding on the Blood Flower

Not all flowers, no matter how brightly coloured or attractive to us human beings, attract butterflies to feed on them.  Following from the Butterflies' Favourite Nectaring Plants series, of which a total of 16 different plants have been featured earlier on this blog, we now take a look at other flowering plants that butterflies sometimes stop to feed on the nectar. Whilst they may not be the preferred source of nectar for many butterflies, if food is in short supply, these flowering plants may provide an alternative source of sustenance for butterflies.

This blogpost features the first 6 of such plants, where we have observed butterflies to be feeding on their flowers. Despite the physical attractiveness (in terms of colours, visibility, etc.), these flowers may not frequently have butterfly visitors, particularly when other preferred nectaring sources are available in the vicinity. However, it is obvious from the photos in this article, that the butterflies do indeed feed on these flowering plants from time to time.

1. Climbing Bauhinia (Bauhinia kockiana)

A cluster of flowers of the Climbing Bauhinia

This is a woody vine with simple alternate dark to pale green leaves. Flowers bloom in large clusters that open yellow but gradually turn to scarlet-orange. As the flowers develop in sequence, there is a mixture of different coloured flowers at any one time.



A Hoary Palmer probes its long proboscis into the flower of the Climbing Bauhinia

Although not as attractive to butterflies as compared to flowering plants like Lantana or the Javanese Ixora, this vine can sometimes attract several species of butterflies when food is scarce, and the range of butterflies seen include some of the bigger Papilionidae to the smaller Hesperiidae.

2. Pagoda Flower (Clerodendrum paniculatum)


A male Great Mormon feeding on the Pagoda Flower

The Pagoda Flower is an erect woody shrub that grows vertically up to 1.5m to 2m tall. It is usually a species that is planted as part of a landscaping scheme, due to its lush green leaves and showy red flowers. It is best planted in a group so that there is ample support as it grows taller.


A Common Birdwing feeding at the Pagoda Flower, with an incoming Painted Jezebel on the left

The red flowers are attractive to several species of butterflies, but not as universally accepted as other more popular nectaring plants. Both large butterflies (like the Common Birdwing) and smaller species (like the Painted Jezebel) and some Hesperiidae have been observed to feed on this nectaring plant.

3. Toothache Plant (Acmella oleracea)



An interesting name for a plant that originates from the use of the leaves and flower heads to numb toothaches. The leaves and flower heads contain an analgesic agent that, when applied to the gums and a throbbing infected tooth, will act as a pain reliever for a short while. The plant is used mainly as decorative ground cover where the yellow flowers dot the landscape with some colour.


Little yellow flower heads of the Toothache Plant emerging from a carpet of green leaves

Given the small florets of the flower, only smaller species of butterflies are occasionally attracted to feed on the nectar. In this case, a Cycad Blue, with its thin proboscis is observed feeding at the flower of the Toothache Plant.

4. Blood Flower (Asclepias curassavica)



A cluster of Blood Flower plants in bloom.  There are the red/orange/yellow cultivars (which is more common) and the slightly rarer all-yellow cultivar

Better known as the caterpillar host plant of the Plain Tiger, the Blood Flower is a small narrow-leafed plant that grows up to 600mm tall on average. It is usually cultivated as a garden border plant and for its attractive vibrant red, orange and yellow flowers. The plant is lactiferous and the white sap is mildly toxic.



The flowers are sometimes visited by some Danainae species like the Plain Tiger and Glassy Tigers, perhaps for more than just nectar, as the alkaloids that these Danainae needs may also be found in the flowers. Other species observed feeding on the Blood Flower include the Common Mime, Striped Albatross and Lemon Emigrant.

5. Shanghai Beauty (Jatropha integerrima)



The Shanghai Beauty is a medium sized shrub that can grow to an average height of 2-3m tall. A woody evergreen species, the pink to crimson flowers are an attractive addition to any landscaping palette of plants. The stems and leaves exude a milky white sap when cut, and this sap may cause skin irritation. All parts of plant are poisonous when ingested due to curcin, a phytotoxin.



Examples of the occasional medium-sized butterflies that visit the flowers of the Jatropha to feed on nectar are the Orange Emigrant and Painted Jezebel. Thus far, we have not recorded the smaller Lycaenidae or Hesperiidae butterflies feeding on this flower.

6. Red Powderpuff (Calliandra haematocephala)



A Red Powderpuff plant in bloom

The Red Powderpuff shrub is so named because of its unique bushy flowers that resemble a powder puff found in women's makeup kits. The plant is a woody shrub that features a spreading but rounded crown and growing up to an average height of 5m tall. The flowers are red, blooming in puffs with red silky stamens.




Although visually attractive, the flower of the Red Powderpuff are not as often visited by butterflies as expected. Medium-sized species like the Common Mormon, Striped Blue Crow and Orange Emigrant have been observed to feed on the powder-puff flowers.

In the next part, we will look at more flowering plants, including some wildflowers, that butterflies visit to feed in search of nectar.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish all our readers of this blog a

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Text by Khew SK : Photos by Khew SK and Mark Wong

References : NParks' Flora and Fauna Web

Butterfly of the Month - December 2018

Butterfly of the Month - December 2018
The Malayan (Megisba malaya sikkima)


A Malayan perched at rest with its wings folded upright

The cold month of December is upon us already as we on the verge of bidding farewell to 2018. All around the world, the countries in the northern hemisphere are already experiencing, or predicting mega-freeze winter conditions in the coming months, where the El Nino event is predicted to spark blizzards of heavy snow. The anticipated cold snaps seem to correlate with the record summer temperatures this year.

Over in Beijing, where the freezing winter months are usually accompanied by extremely bad air quality due to the burning of low-grade coal, the government has imposed strict bans on burning fuel over winter as part of Beijing’s war on pollution. Beijing has said it will be less severe with its pollution curbs this winter as it grapples with slower economic growth and the trade war with the United States.



And speaking of the trade war, the temporary 90-day reprieve between the US and China that will halt new tariffs on both sides is not likely to end in a clear cut resolution between the two economic giants. Already, the economic climate all around the world, and in particular, in the ASEAN countries have shown signs of a looming crisis ahead.



Closer to home, the recent bilateral spats over maritime and airspace between Singapore and Malaysia is a reminder of the delicate cross-border politics between the two countries, recently referred to as "twins". The tactics of a certain veteran politician does not appear to be anything new - when you have domestic problems, just poke the little red dot down south to create some distractions.




In this age and time of lightning speed communications and information, the old tactic of galvanising the citizenry using nationalistic issues still seem to work. Standing united behind their respective countries, each side's netizens trade barbs over social media - something that was not so commonplace in the 70's and 80's when similar tensions arose. Let's hope that common sense and calm minds prevail and good neighbourliness will again stand the test of these political maneuvers.


A Malayan puddling at a sandy streambank

Our final Butterfly of the Month for 2018 will be, coincidentally, the Malayan (Megisba malaya sikkima), although the choice has nothing to do with the country or any particular individual from our neighbours up north. This diminutive butterfly has a wingspan of only about 20mm from wingtip to wingtip.



At a glance, the Malayan is reminiscent of a small Common Hedge Blue (Acytolepis puspa lambi) with the spots and streaks on the underside quite similar. The Malayan is often spotted singly and frequents open paths, fluttering restlessly amongst the shrubbery. It flies erratically but with a rather weak flight, and stops to rest on the top surfaces of leaves, with its wings folded upright.




The Malayan is a light brown above, generally unmarked, but with a paler discal area of the forewing. The underside is whitish-grey, with black spots and grey streaks on both the fore- and hindwings. There is a pair of short, delicate white-tipped  tails, which are extensions of the cilia, at vein 2 of the hindwing. In subspecies in other parts of Southeast Asia, the tails may be absent, but subspecies sikkima found in Malaysia and Singapore almost always possesses the tails.


A Malayan feeding at the ripened fruit of the Singapore Rhododendron

A puddling Malayan

The species has large jet-black eyes and its antennae, legs and abdomen are black and white banded. This small butterfly has been observed feeding at flowers, the ripened fruit of the Singapore Rhododendron (Melastoma malabathricum), puddling on damp spots along forest paths, on bird droppings and along sandy streambanks in Singapore.



The species has been successfully bred on Turn-In-the-Wind (Mallotus paniculatus) in Singapore. The Malayan is by no means a very common butterfly, but is regularly encountered singly from urban parks and gardens, to the forested nature reserves and at the backmangroves habitats near the coastal areas of Singapore.

Text by Khew SK : Photos by James Chia, Huang CJ, Khew SK, Loke PF, Nelson Ong, Simon Sng, Michael Soh, Jonathan Soong, Tea Yi Kai, Horace Tan and Bene Tay

Snow Flats of Singapore

Snow Flats of Singapore
Featuring the Snow Flat Skippers

Amongst the skipper family Hesperiidae, there is a sub-family that features "Flats or Spread-Winged Skippers" - referring to the open-winged pose of the butterflies when at rest, or feeding. This sub-family, Pyrginae, is represented by 12 species in Singapore. The majority of these species are considered rare, and a few of them were only discovered as recently as in 2011 and 2012.

The "Flats" are swift flyers, and has a unique behaviour of stopping under leaves in their typical open winged pose. When disturbed, the butterfly will zip off quickly to search for another leaf to settle on the underside to hide itself. During certain hours of the day, several species are more likely to be observed settled on the upper surfaces of leaves to sunbathe. Even when feeding on flowers or puddling, these "Flats" maintain their open winged pose.

This weekend's blogpost discusses the four species of the Tagiades genus - collectively referred to by their English common name of "Snow Flats". The reference to "snow" in its name probably originates from the whitened tornal area of the hindwing and undersides of the species in the genus. The whitened hindwings often give an appearance of a much smaller white butterfly zipping around the shrubbery when these butterflies are in rapid flight.

Common Snow Flat (Tagiades japetus atticus)

A Common Snow Flat feeding at the flower of Syzygium zeylanicum

Of the four species extant in Singapore, the Common Snow Flat is probably the most often encountered species. It is usually associated with the forested habitats in Singapore, where it is most active in the cooler early morning hours of the day.

The underside of the hindwing of the Common Snow Flat showing bluish-white scales

The Common Snow Flat is pale brown on the uppersides, with small hyaline spots on its forewings. The are dark brown discal markings on the hindwing and a dark brown margin on both the fore- and hindwings. The underside of the hindwing is suffused with bluish-white scaling that may appear white in pristine individuals.

Large Snow Flat (Tagiades gana gana)

A Large Snow Flat sunbathes on the upper surface of a leaf

The Large Snow Flat is the next commonest species in the genus, although it is by no means considered a common butterfly in Singapore. It makes a regular appearance when flowering trees like the Syzygium spp. blooms. It also displays the usual habit of keeping its wings opened flat, even when feeding.

The Large Snow Flat is dark brown on its upper surfaces with rather diffuse brown markings on its wings. There are usually three hyaline sub-apical spots on the forewing. The tornal area of the hindwing is whitened and has small diffused black spots. On the underside, the whitened area is more extensive and reaches the wing base of the hindwing.

Malayan Snow Flat (Tagiades calligana)

A Malayan Snow Flat perches on the underside of a leaf

A relatively rare forest species, the Malayan Snow Flat also features a larger tornal patch on the hindwing that extends all the way across its mid-abdomen. The species is also a fast-flyer and exhibits the same habit of stopping with wings opened on the undersides of leaves to rest. It is usually seen in the early hours of the morning.

The Malayan Snow Flat is dark brown above, with the usual sub-apical and post-discal hyaline spots on the forewings. The hindwing tornal patch is pure white and contrasts with the dark brown wings. The whitened scaling is more extensive on the underside, covering most of the wing. There are prominent black submarginal spots at the tornal area of the hindwing, but lacks the spot at vein 1b.

A Malayan Snow Flat perched on the underside of a leaf

Ultra Snow Flat (Tagiades ultra)

This species was re-discovered in the late 1990's in Singapore after being recorded as extinct by the early authors. It is another rare species, and usually individuals are observed. The butterfly is more active during the cooler hours of the day, and often seen feeding at flowering bushes or sunbathing in the morning sun.

An Ultra Snow Flat feeding at the flowers of the Pagoda Flower shrub

The Ultra Snow Flat is dark brown above with the typical hyaline post-discal and sub-apical spots on the forewing. Its general appearance is similar to the Malayan Snow Flat, except that it has four large prominent submarginal spots on the hindwing that are sometimes conjoined in some individuals. On the underside of the hindwing, the white is more extensive and reaches the wing bases.

Text by Khew SK; : Photos by David Chan, Chng CK, Huang CJ, Khew SK, Koh CH, Loke PF, Michael Soh, Jonathan Soong, Tan BJ and Horace Tan

Life Histories of the Tagiades species in Singapore :

• Life History of the Common Snow Flat
• Life History of the Large Snow Flat
• Life History of the Malayan Snow Flat
• Life History of the Ultra Snow Flat