Monday, January 27, 2014

Charana mandarina splendida (Moulton)

This magnificent lycaenid was photographed nectaring on Siam Weeds flowering in an open patch along a forested trunk road. It is rather large for a lycaenid and has a very pronounced brown borders on the undersides of its forewings and hindwings, contrasting with the creamy yellow base (which attracted my attention), ressembling an over-sized Sithon nedymond (The Plush) male from afar. This is a rare jungle insect.

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
2014
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mac
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct


S3F








2014
2015
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mac
Apr
May
June
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

















Above 3 photos 12 Jan 2014 @ 12:28.


When it does take to the wings after being disturbed, it doesn't fly far and came back to the same spot. The beautiful turquoise blue of its uppersides is visible in flight. Above 2 photos 12 Jan 2014 @ 12:47, the second showing a hint of its magnificent blue uppersides. 

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

The Narrow-banded Velvet Bob, Koruthaialos rubecula rubecula (Plötz)

This skipper is found in the same vicinities of K. sindhu and are often seen together. It can be differentiated from K. sindhu by its narrower and shorter discal band which does not reach the costal margin of the forewings.

Habitat indicator

RSP
WV
PG
VF
FTR
SC
LWDF
LWPF
LMEF
UMN
MN


 x
 x
 x
 x
 x
 x
 x



Frequency observation chart: (x marks the usual occurences, H marks an unusually high occurence, F for first record)
2013
Mac
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct









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

xxx
x
xxx
x
2014
2015
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mac
Apr
May
June
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
x
x
x
x













Above photos 17 Jan 2014 @ 12:47



Above 3 photos 18 Jan 2014 @ 11:34

17 August 2014 @ 13:14

Monday, January 20, 2014

The Chocolate Pansy, Junonia hedonia ida (Cramer)

Common grassland and wasteland butterfly that was only recently found in the district of Raub, overlapping all the localities that support J. iphita and is now more widespread than the latter.

Habitat indicator

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


x



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

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


S3F


S3S3
S3S3S3

2014
2015
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mac
Apr
May
June
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
S3
S4
S4S6S7






S3
S2S3S4
S3S4
S3S4S6
S3S4S6
2016
Jan
Feb
Mac
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
S3S4
S3
S3S4
S3S4
S1S2
S1









I thought this was a female Chocolate Soldier, J. iphita but then I realised that it had very pronounced reddish coloured occelli. The Chocolate Pansy is not a commonly recorded butterfly from this area - could this be an invasive migrant? Grasslands and roadside bushes of Raub are usually inhabited by  J. iphita. Above 3 photos 12 Jan 2014 @ 12:20


31 Aug 2014 @ 11:56

Their range has since extended all over Raub and was recently found to the furthest North of Raub. 27 Nov 2014 @ 10:53

31 Dec 2014 @ 12:27

*     *     *     *     *

9:56

12:26
Above photos 02 Jan 2016. This species has since 2013 superseeded J. iphita as the more dominant and widespread species on grasslands and wastelands in Raub except on the higher parts at mid-elevation .