The Forested Path (and Beyond): BUTTERFLIES of RAUB: The Common Batwing, Atrophaneura varuna varuna (White)

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

The Common Batwing, Atrophaneura varuna varuna (White)

Uncommon and very seasonal. Atrophaneuras display seasonal abundance which may fluctuate according to certain years and in certain locality in general. This is the commonest of the genus in Raub. While solitary males may come down to puddle, females are more often encountered visiting flowers in the later part of the afternoon at the edge of forests and villages.

Habitat indicator

RSP	WV	PG	VF	FTR	SC	LWDF	LWPF	LMEF	UMN	MN
							x	x

Frequency observation chart: (S marks the usual occurences, H marks an unusually high occurence, F for first record)

2013
Mac	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct
		S1F	S1S3

2013		2014
Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mac	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct
				S1			S2	S2	S2H	S2

2014

2015

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mac

Apr

May

June

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

S1S3

2016
Jan	Feb	Mac	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
						S2

2017
Jan	Feb	Mac	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
		S1S2	S1						S5

2018
Jan	Feb	Mac	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

27 May 2013 @ 11:17

I saw this rather smallish "batwing" (against the birdwings) at a butterfly park in the Cameron Highlands and wondered if I'll ever see one in the wild. Well, this was the first puddler that greeted me when I started my trek today (29 May 2013). It was rather shy and elusive and I had to trek it for a good half an hour before it settled comfortably in my presence and allowed some reasonable shots of it (side views and glimpse of its uppersides which permitted a clear identification). It was puddling with a rather pale pink Common Rose and from far, when I spotted it, I thought it was a tailess Common Rose but then, it struck me that the insect was completely dark from afar without any carmine markings on its hindwings except for its neck and body. I then realize I had some work to be done...