Tuesday, February 24, 2015

The Malayan Batwing, Atrophaneura nox erebus (Wallace)

This is a rather rare butterfly to be seen in forested areas in Raub, in fact much rarer than A. varuna and they inhabit the same localities. Like most Batwings, they are seasonal and their abundance can fluctuate according to seasons and years.

Habitat indicator
RSP
WV
PG
VF
FTR
SC
LWDF
LWPF
LMEF
UMN
MN






x
x
x



Frequency observation chart: (S marks the usual occurences, H marks an unusually high occurence, F for first record)
2014
2015
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mac
Apr
May
June
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec



S1
S1
S1







S3
2016
Jan
Feb
Mac
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec














The 5th instar caterpillar looks much like a Troides caterpillar. I came upon this one by accident when I was looking for hesperiids along a trail used by Orang Asli to look for bamboo. 02 Feb 2015 @ 11:17. When threatened, the caterpillar everts a bright orange osmeterium.


Above 2 pictures of the pupa a week later in the same spot of the  undergrowth...8 Feb 2015. Collected the pupa out of curiosity (it doesn't correspond to that of Troides nor Pachliopta with its beautiful coral-like projections) and 2 weeks later, this came out (below picture)...The pupa case darkens from coral colour to dark brown 2 days prior to eclosion.

A rather tiny male eclosed at @ 15:00 on 23 Feb 2015, 15 days after the pupa was collected from a dark undergrowth of a forest reserve. Unlike A. varuna, its abdomen is completely black. The carmine tufts are restricted to the thorax.


The uppersides are of a velvety black ...


Notice the scent pouch on the HW dorsal area.

The HW uppers has a rather shiny velvety dull blue sheen much like A. varuna male.




Sunday, February 22, 2015

Hyarotis microsticta microsticta (Wood-Mason & de Nicéville)

Very rare, confined to open sunny places in the deep forest. Very swift on the wings.

Habitat indicator
RSP
WV
PG
VF
FTR
SC
LWDF
LWPF
LMEF
UMN
MN






 x





Frequency observation chart: (S marks the usual occurences, H marks an unusually high occurence, F for first record)
2014
2015
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mac
Apr
May
June
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec



 S1(F)










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






S2


S17



11:44

 11:45

 11:45

 11:55

 11:56

11:57
Above photos 08 Feb 2015


*     *     *     *     *

A female nectaring on Asystasia gangetica flowers: 09 Oct 2016 @ 10:21

Monday, February 16, 2015

Pyroneura natuna (Fruhstorfer)

Uncommon, found usually on flowering Leea indica and Chromolaena odorata bushes in shaded exposition in wooded countries.

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





x
x




Frequency observation chart: (S marks the usual occurences, H marks an unusually high occurence, F for first record)
2014
2015
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mac
Apr
May
June
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

 S4(F)
S4 
S1






S4
S4(H)
S4


Some keys to its ID:
-FW with silverstreak but no small hyaline spot in space 5
-HW vein 8 broadly orange on both sides

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













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











S12 

2018
Jan
Feb
Mac
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
S12












2019
Jan
Feb
Mac
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec













25 Dec 2014 @ 12:44

12:45

12:46

12:52

12:53

13:03
Above photos 31 Dec 2014

*     *     *     *     *



Above photos 15 Feb 2015 @ 11:30

S4: 24 Sep 2015 @ 11:36


*     *     *     *     *

A number can be seen visiting flowering bushes at certain times of the year where it occurs...

in flight @ 10:21

10:22

 10:24

 10:25

10:26

 10:26

10:27
Above photos 04 Oct 2015

a worn male from S4: 11 Oct 2015 @ 11:27

13:40


 13:51

13:51
Above 3 different P. natuna from the same locality @ 17 Oct 2015


Above 2 photos 08 Nov 2015 @ 10:32


 12:10

 12:10

12:11
Above photos 06 Jan 2018