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Butterflies Galore! : Anderson's Grass Yellow

March 27, 2014, 5:00 pm
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Butterflies Galore!
Anderson's Grass Yellow (Eurema andersonii andersonii)



The Grass Yellows from the genus Eurema, are difficult to identify when they are in flight. Although they have quite distinctive diagnostic features that distinguish the various species, it is necessary for them to stop for a closer look before they can be identified with a fair level of confidence. In this shot, taken by ButterflyCircle member Huang CJ, the single cell spot can be clearly seen to identify this butterfly as the Anderson's Grass Yellow (Eurema andersonii andersonii)

Many of the Grass Yellows' males puddle at damp roadside paths and banks of forest streams for nutrients. The puddling butterfly presents the best opportunity for a photographer to sneak up on it and take a good shot of the butterfly. When it is flying erratically it is almost futile to chase the butterfly to try to photograph it.

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Nature Ways in Singapore

March 29, 2014, 5:35 am
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Nature Ways in Singapore 
Connecting Areas of Biodiversity


A group shot with NParks staff at Singapore Botanic Gardens

This morning, I had a sharing session with a group of staff from the National Parks Board. Most of the staff were from the Landscaping and Arboriculture and Streetscape East Branches of the Streetscape Division, National Biodiversity Centre Division and Community Parks. It was also an opportunity for me to learn a bit more about NParks' Nature Ways and how these are intended to enhance biodiversity in Singapore.


Sharing about butterflies with the NParks staff at Ridley Hall, Singapore Botanic Gardens

The morning started with a talk about butterflies, covering various aspects about their biology, ecology and habitats, their relationship with plants and designing and landscaping to attract butterflies. It was nice to see a very attentive audience, especially on a Saturday (an off-day for everyone!). The staff asked very valid and relevant questions to enhance their knowledge about butterflies and how they exist in the environment.



I was also pleased to note that many of the NParks staff had backgrounds in architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, botany and arboriculture. I was glad that I had customised my talk to focus more on plants, landscape and how butterflies relate to plants, which was more relevant to my audience's areas of interest.


Receiving a token of appreciation from Director, Streetscape Division, Oh Cheow Sheng

So what exactly are Nature Ways? From NParks' Quarterly Newsletter, My Green Space, "Nature Ways are linear, green corridors along roadsides that have been developed to connect areas of high biodiversity to urban areas. The aim is to attract birdlife and butterflies from nature areas and parks to areas where people can appreciate them, and be more aware of the beautiful natural environment around them."


Source : © My Green Space - a Quarterly NParks Publication

To create Nature Ways, NParks designs these eco-corridors to replicate the natural structures of forests as far as is possible. Trees, shrubs and groundcovers would be planted on available roadside planting strips to re-create habitats similar to those found in the emergent, mid-canopy, understory and undergrowth layers of natural forests.

Relevant species of plants are then selected for the emergent, mid-canopy, understory and undergrowth layers to create conducive environments for birds and butterflies to encourage activities like nesting and feeding.  In the understory and undergrowth layers, nectaring and host plants for butterflies are planted to attract various species like the Plain Tiger, Leopard, Mottled Emigrant and so on.

The group also had a discussion about doing a butterfly biodiversity survey that will help to fine-tune the species to attract to the various nature ways, depending on their locations and proximity to the source nodes of high butterfly diversity (e.g. the nature reserves or larger parks)  This is important, as it would then target the correct species and also helps with species recovery of the rarer species by increasing the host plants relevant to the specific location of the nature way.


Source : © National Parks Board - Tengah Nature Way

Currently, the longest nature way is the Tengah Nature Way. Spanning 13km in length, Tengah Nature Way is the Singapore’s longest Nature Way so far.  It refers to the area of largely residential land between the Bukit Timah and Central Catchment Nature Reserves and the Western Catchment (SAFTI Live-Firing Area). There are already nature ways at Admiralty, Kheam Hock, Tampines and Yishun.



At the end of my talk, the group went on a short walk at the Singapore Botanic Gardens to see if we can spot any butterflies. We moved to the Swan Lake area, where there are more nectaring plants. At the edge of the pond, where a row of Cassia fistula and Caesalpinia pulcherrima were grown, a number of Pierid butterflies - Common Grass Yellow, Lemon Emigrant and Orange Emigrant were up and about.


Watching an Orange Emigrant oviposit

As if on cue, a female Orange Emigrant descended from the treetops and oviposited on a leaf of the Peacock Flower bush. The Lemon Emigrants were also flying actively amongst the foliage of the Cassia fistula trees. Walking further towards the Ginger Garden we spotted a number of Common Palmfly in the shaded area. As the weather was hot and sunny, there were a number of butterflies up and about. Over in the rainforest area, the group spotted species like the Painted Jezebel, a Common Mormon and a Short Banded Sailor.



I was pleased to note that quite a few of the NParks staff were already quite conversant with butterflies and could capably identify the more common urban species. It will only be a matter of time and with more field experience that the staff can be competent butterfly guides in the nature ways and be able to educate visitors and members of the public on the butterfly diversity along the nature ways!



It was a worthwhile morning for me to share information about butterflies with the NParks staff and also learn more about the development of nature ways as a strategy to habitat de-fragmentation and conserving our precious biodiversity in Singapore. With 'customised' and selective planting relevant to the locations of the nature ways, these eco-corridors will no doubt help in creating a conducive environment for butterflies to move across the island as well as aid in species conservation in Singapore.

Text by Khew SK : Photos by Jason Yong and Huang CJ

Further References And Reading :





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Butterflies Galore! : Malayan

April 3, 2014, 7:45 am
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Butterflies Galore!
The Malayan (Megisba malaya sikkima)



The Malayan resembles the more frequently-encountered Common Hedge Blue (Acytolepis puspa lambi) at a glance, but is much smaller, and features short filamentous tails at vein 2 of the hindwing. It is skittish but often stops to perch at its favourite leaves on warm sunny days. Unlike the Common Hedge Blue, the Malayan is brown and largely unmarked above except for a paler discal area on the forewing.

The jet-black eyes of the Malayan are large relative to the size of the butterfly. It can sometimes be found puddling at damp forest paths and along the sandy banks of forest streams. The Malayan is widely distributed and can be found in forested areas as well as urban parks and gardens.

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Life History of the Common Rose

April 5, 2014, 5:38 am
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Life History of the Common Rose (Pachliopta aristolochiae asteris)


Butterfly Biodata:
Genus: Pachliopta Reakirt, 1865
Species: aristolochiaeFabricius, 1793
Subspecies: asterisRothschild, 1908
Wingspan of Adult Butterfly: 65-85mm
Caterpillar Local Host Plants: Aristolochia acuminata (Aristolochiaceae, common names: Indian Birthwort, Dutchman's Pipe), Aristolochia elegans (Aristolochiaceae, common names: Calico flower, Pipe Vine).



Physical Description of Adult Butterfly:
Above, both sexes are black with the distal part of the forewing grey-shaded between the veins.The hindwing has a large white post-discal patch and a number of greyish-red submarginal crescent-shaped spots. Underneath, both sexes bear similar markings as per the upperside, but with the submarginal spots on the hindwing rounded and in striking red. The hindwing has a moderately long tail at vein 4. The body is bright red. The female has rounder wing contours than the male.



Field Observations of Butterfly Behaviour:
Common Rose is moderately common in Singapore and are often observed at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, Singapore Zoo, Hort Park and other locations where its host plants, Aristolochia spp., are cultivated. The adults are strong flyers and have been observed to visit flowers and puddle on wet ground.




Early Stages:
The recorded local host plants, Aristolochia acuminata and Aristolochia elegans, are perennial vines and can be found cultivated in various locations locally. In the wild, A. acuminata can also be found in forests and open lowland thickets. The caterpillars of the Common Rose feed on the leaves and the young shoots of both plants.

Host plant #1: Aristolochia elegans.

Host plant #2: Aristolochia acuminata.

The eggs of the Common Rose are laid singly on the surface of a leaf of the host plant. The orange-colored egg is coated unevenly with a yellowish material. It is nearly spherical with a diameter of about 1.3-1.4mm.

A mother Common Rose probing a leaf of Aristolochia acuminata for oviposition.

Two views of an egg of Common Rose.

Two views of a mature egg of the Common Rose.

The egg takes about 3 days to hatch. The young caterpillar eats its way out of the mature egg, and then proceeds to finish up the rest of the egg shell. It has an inital body length of about 2.5mm. There are short dorsal-lateral and lateral processes (one pair to each body segment)with tuffs of dark setae emanating from them. The body is reddish brown and the head is dark brown to black.

A new hatched caterpillar nibbling at the egg shell.

Two views of a newly hatched caterpillar, length: 2.5mm..

As the 1st instar caterpillar grows up to a length of about 5mm, the dorso-lateral pair of processes on the 3rd abdominal segment turn whitish. The lst instar lasts for 2.5-3 days.

Two views of a 1st instar caterpillar, length: 3.3mm.

Two views of a 1st instar caterpillar, late in this stage, dormant prior to its moult, length: 5mm

In the 2nd instar, the dorso-lateral and lateral pairs of processes are fleshy and proportionately longer than those present in the 1st instar. Initially, these processes, except for the whitish ones on the 3rd abdominal segment, are initially dull orange and the body dark purplish brown. As growth progresses, these processes and the body turn to a uniform shade of wine-red. In the meantime, the 3rd abdominal segment turns mostly whitish, forming the so-called white saddle mark. Towards the end of this instar, the body colour turns dark for the most part as the caterpillar lays dormant prior to its moult. This instar lasts about 2 days with the body length reaching up to 9mm.

Two views of a 2nd instar caterpillar, newly moulted, length: 5mm.

Two views of a 2nd instar caterpillar, length: 8.8mm

Two views of a late 2nd instar caterpillar, dormant prior to its moult, length: 8mm.

In the 3rd instar, the fleshy processes are proportionately longer and more pointed, the body is in a dark shade of reddish brown while the distal end of body processes are in a contrasting wine red. The white saddle mark on the 3rd abdominal segment is now rather prominent. This instar takes about 2 days to complete with the body length reaching up to 14mm.

Two views of a newly moulted 3rd instar caterpillar, with exuvia nearby.

Two views of a 3rd instar caterpillar, length: 12.5mm.

The 4th instar caterpillar resembles the 3rd instar caterpillar closely. This penultimate instar lasts about 2-2.5 days with body length reaching about 24mm.

Two views of a newly moulted 4th instar caterpillar, length: 14mm.

Two views of a 4th instar caterpillar, length: 23mm.

The next moult brings the caterpillar to its 5th and final instar with no obvious change in markings or coloration. The body processes are not as proportionately long nor fleshy than those present in the earlier instars.

Two views of a 5th instar caterpillar, freshly moulted, length: 22mm.

Two views of a 5th instar caterpillar, late in this stage, length: 36mm.

A Common Rose caterpillar observed on A. elegans in a urban park.

Another Common Rose caterpillar observed on A. acuminata in another urban park.

As in the case of all Swallowtail butterflies, the Common Rose caterpillars in all instars possess a fleshy organ called osmeterium in the prothoracic segment. Usually hidden, the osmeterium can be everted to emit a foul-smelling secretion when the caterpillar is threatened.

A 4th instar Common Rose caterpillar displaying its orange-colored osmeterium.

The 5th instar lasts for about 4-4.5 days, and the body length reaches up to 38mm. Toward the end of this instar, the body gradually shortens in length. Eventually the caterpillar comes to rest on the under surface of a stem or a leaf. Here it stays dormant for a while before performing a purge of loose and wet frass pellets. It then spins a silk pad and a silk girdle to become an immobile pre-pupatory larva.

A pre-pupatory larva of the Common Rose.

Pupation takes place a day later. The orange/reddish-brown pupa suspends itself with a silk girdle from the stem and with its cremaster attached to the silk pad at the lower end. The pupa has an arched profile, bending at the start and middle of the abdomen. There are a few pairs of fin-like dorso-lateral and a pair of cephalic horns. Length of pupa: 28-30mm.

Two views of a pupa of the Common Rose.

After 11-11.5 days, the pupa turns black as the development within the pupal case draws to a close. The next morning the adult butterfly emerges from the pupal case.

Two views of a mature pupa of the Common Rose.

A newly eclosed Common Rose clinging onto its pupal case.

References:
  • [C&P4] The Butterflies of The Malay Peninsula, A.S. Corbet and H.M. Pendlebury, 4th Edition, Malayan Nature Society, 1992.
  • Butterflies of Thailand, Pisuth Ek-Amnuay, 2nd Edition, 2012.
  • A Field Guide to the Butterflies of Singapore, Khew S.K., Ink On Paper Communications, 2010.
Text by Horace Tan, Photos by Goh Lai Chong, James Chia, Nelson Ong, Sunny Chir and Horace Tan
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Butterflies Galore! : Black Veined Tiger

April 6, 2014, 9:00 pm
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Butterflies Galore!
The Black Veined Tiger (Danaus melanippus hegesippus)



This "Tiger" is a moderately common species in Singapore, but is usually seen singly. It is attracted to the flowers and dried plant of the Indian Heliotrope (Heliotropium indicum) whenever this plant is grown. The species resembles the more commonly-encountered Common Tiger (Danaus genutia genutia) but its broader hindwing marginal border and white hindwings sets it apart from its closely-related cousin. Both species are distant relatives of the famous American Monarch (Danaus plexippus)

This individual was photographed at the newly re-opened Butterfly Garden at Hort Park, returning again and again to the pale violet flowers of the Indian Heliotrope to feed.

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Butterflies Galore! : Baron

April 9, 2014, 5:33 pm
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Butterflies Galore!
The Baron (Euthalia aconthea gurda)



The Baron can usually be found in urban parks and gardens in the vicinity of where its caterpillar host plant, the mango (mangifera indica) is grown. It is a powerful flyer, like most of its related species in the Euthalia genus. Characteristic features are its robust body and flap-glide flying style.

This female Baron was shot just outside my driveway, puddling on the tarmac road where there were some damp patches after I had just watered my plants during the recent dry spell. The butterfly was probably looking for moisture that it could not find in the environment after more than a month of rainless weather. The post-discal spots on the forewing of the female Baron can be quite variable, as described in this earlier blog article.

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A Sneak Peek : New Butterfly Book

April 11, 2014, 5:00 pm
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A Sneak Peek
Butterflies of Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore & Thailand



There are, by far, many more books on birds in the Southeast Asian region than books on butterflies. Perhaps it is because there are more competent authors who are birders besides the assumption that birders in the region probably outnumber butterfly watchers by a ratio of 10:1! Ok, perhaps I'm exaggerating, but would someone care to hazard a guess?


Green Commodore (Sumalia daraxa) shot at Telecoms Loop, Fraser's Hill, Malaysia

On 24 April 2014, John Beaufoy Publishing, a UK-based publisher of books on natural history, travel and adventure, food and fiction, will be launching a new butterfly book entitled "A Naturalist's Guide to the Butterflies of Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand". The 176-page book, authored by renown entomologist and butterfly expert, Dr Laurence G. Kirton, will be launched here in Singapore at the Gardens by the Bay.



Dr Kirton, a friend of ButterflyCircle, is currently the Head of the Biodiversity and Conservation of Fauna Programme at the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM). His interest in butterflies began in his childhood years, together with his brother, Colin, and has continued into his professional career as a researcher. Laurence holds a PhD in entomology from Imperial College, University of London, and has authored many papers on Malaysian butterflies in the Malayan Nature Journal and other publications. Back in June 2009, Dr Kirton gave a talk on Butterfly Conservation to ButterflyCircle members and guests at the Singapore Botanic Gardens.



It was a chance meeting with Ken Scriven* up on Fraser's Hill in Malaysia some time back in August 2011 that started ButterflyCircle's involvement with Dr Kirton's book. That evening, Geoff Davison from NParks, who was with Ken, introduced me as someone who had earlier published a book on butterflies in Singapore. Ken spoke to me about Dr Kirton's book, and asked if I would be able to help with providing photos for the book. Ken then put me in contact with John Beaufoy.
*Ken Scriven founded the WWF office in Malaysia and was its Executive Director from 1972 to 1991. He helped found the Malaysian Wildlife Conservation Foundation of which he is Chairman. Although retired from WWF-Malaysia’s staff in 1991, Ken Scriven is still active as Vice-President Emeritus.


Blue Glassy Tiger (Ideopsis vulgaris) shot at Pasir Ris Park, Singapore

John subsequently visited Singapore and we met over coffee near my office. This started the whole process of helping Dr Kirton with the contacts of photographers who would be able to provide their butterfly photos from Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. After 3 years, the book is now a reality and is already ready for sale, even before the official launch date later this month.



The new book, published in the same size of the Naturalist's Guide series by John Beaufoy Publishing measures 7" by 5", or equivalent to 5R in the standard photographic paper size. The book contains a total of exactly 408 unique photographs, of which ButterflyCircle members from Singapore (21 members), Malaysia (2 members) and Thailand (2 members) contributed 305 photos, or about 75% of the photos in the book.


Malayan Grass Yellow (Eurema tilaha) shot at Bunker Trail, Panti Forest, Johor, Malaysia

The book starts with an introduction to the countries of reference in the book, covering geography, climate, vegetation and habitats and where to go looking for butterflies in the three countries.  The introduction goes on to deal with butterfly behaviour, predation, defence, life history, seasonality and the biology of butterflies. The rest of the book is organised by taxonomic classification covering the six families of Rhopalocera (butterflies).



A total of 280 species of butterflies are featured in the book, with descriptions of an additional 190 species. Each species is described in relative detail - identifying features, distribution, subspecies, habits and habitats. There is also a complete classification of the butterfly genera of Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand at the concluding chapter of the book.



So, on the 24 April 2014, let us welcome a new addition to the references of our South East Asian butterfly fauna. The book will be sold during the launch. The author, Dr Laurence Kirton, will be on hand to autograph copies of the books at the launch, which is a private and by-invitation only event.  

The book will be available for sale at major bookstores as well as Amazon and various online portals.  For our overseas readers and members of the public who would like to order a copy of the book, please contact the distributor at :

Pansing Distribution Pte Ltd
1 New Industrial Road, Times Centre, Singapore 536196
Tel : +65 6319 9939
Email : infobooks@pansing.com



Text by Khew SK : Photos by Khew SK.  Book photos courtesy of John Beaufoy Publishing, UK

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A Two Pierid Weekend

April 18, 2014, 6:24 am
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A Two Pierid Weekend
New Discoveries in Singapore - Species #310& #311



The exceptionally dry weather and then the tail end of the Northeast monsoon winds bringing a burst of rainfall to southern Johor and Singapore may have been the catalyst for a burst of flowering all over the island. But it brought two new surprises as well, in terms of butterfly observations.


Ben Jin's shot of a female Malaysian Albatross on 12 Apr 2014

Last Saturday, on his regular solo outing in the nature reserves, ButterflyCircle veteran Tan Ben Jin came across a rather large yellow butterfly that he had not seen before. When the butterfly stopped to rest with its wings folded upright, Ben Jin managed to take a shot of it. It was something that he had not seen nor shot before. Upon posting in on ButterflyCircle's forums, Dr TL Seow identified it as a female Malaysian Albatross (Saletara panda distanti).  It is noted that the Malaysian Albatross had the scientific name of Saletara liberia distanti in the references, but of late many authors have used the species name panda for the Sundanian species.


A male Malaysian Albatross shot in Taman Negara, Malaysia

Checking with our main reference for Malaysia and Singapore, "Butterflies of the Malay Peninsula, 4th Edition" by Corbet & Pendlebury, the Malaysian Albatross was recorded as extant in Singapore. W. A. Fleming's "Butterflies of West Malaysia and Singapore, 2nd Edition" also recorded the Malaysian Albatross in Singapore. During the period of the early 1990's to 2014, when the Singapore butterfly fauna was documented in earnest, there were no reliable sightings nor valid specimen records of this species. Hence Ben Jin's record of the Malaysian Albatross is taken as a re-discovery and recorded as species #310 in the Singapore Butterfly Checklist and classified as a migratory visitor.


Horace's original record shot of the Redspot Sawtooth on 13 Apr 2014

The following day, Sunday 13 Apr, ButterflyCircle member Horace Tan was out shooting some Chocolate Albatrosses in the nature reserves when he saw a larger butterfly feeding at the flowers with the Chocolate Albatrosses. Initially assuming that it was a Painted Jezebel, Horace took a record shot of the butterfly and upon closer scrutiny realised that it was something else. It was confirmed as a Redspot Sawtooth (Prioneris philonome themana).


A crop of Horace's shot showing the Redspot Sawtooth

This time around, both reference books did not indicate that the Redspot Sawtooth as an extant species in Singapore. Probably a seasonal migrant like many of the Pierids observed in Singapore from time to time, which includes the Chocolate Albatross, Wanderer and at least two more Pierid species collected in the 90's (to be discussed in this blog at a future time), the Redspot Sawtooth will be added to the Singapore Checklist as a new discovery and species #311.


A puddling Redspot Sawtooth shot at Kuala Woh, Perak, Malaysia

It is noteworthy that species from the family Pieridae are known to exhibit migratory tendencies, and there are periods when they are seasonally abundant, the northeasterly winds may have aided their flight into Singapore from Malaysia.

Text by Khew SK : Photos by Horace Tan, Tan Ben Jin, Tea Yi Kai and Khew SK

References :


  • [C&P4] The Butterflies of The Malay Peninsula, A.S. Corbet and H.M. Pendlebury, 4th Edition, Malayan Nature Society, 1992
  • Butterflies of West Malaysia & Singapore, WA Fleming, 2nd Edition, 1983
  • Butterflies of Thailand, Pisuth Ek-Amnuay, 2nd Edition, 2012
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Butterfly of the Month - April 2014

April 19, 2014, 7:01 am
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Butterfly of the Month - April 2014
The Elbowed Pierrot (Caleta elna elvira)



The hot and dry months of February and March in Singapore finally gave way to the much-needed April showers. It was certainly a welcome relief for the parched vegetation and almost like magic, one could see fresh green sprouts of grass and new shoots emerge from the trees.  Well into the month of April, many trees burst into bloom en masse all over the island, prompting Singaporeans to associate the colourful flowering with the Japanese sakura season.




It was also a time of grief, just after the MH370 episode last month, when a South Korean ferry, The Sewol, carrying 476 passengers and crew, capsized on Wednesday on a journey from the port of Incheon to the southern holiday island of Jeju. The ferry sank with 476 people aboard, 323 of them from a single high school in Ansan. Thirty-two bodies have since been recovered, and 174 people survived the disaster. The search for the remaining passengers is still in progress at this point in time.




Over on Mount Everest, the world witnessed the devastating force of Mother Nature when an avalanche on the slopes of Mount Everest killed at least 15 Nepalese Sherpa guides on Friday, making it one of the deadliest days in the history of mountaineering on the world's highest peak. Rescuers managed to pull seven people alive from beneath snow and ice, Three critically injured guides were airlifted to the Nepali capital of Kathmandu.



Singaporeans and residents here will experience an awe-inspiring display the colours of the Netherlands with the start of the Tulipmania exhibition in the Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay. About 50,000 blooms, air-flown from the Netherlands, cover the changing display area of the Flower Dome, giving a spectacular splash of colours that is sure to delight visitors here in Singapore - and they don't have to travel all the way to Amsterdam to enjoy the visual treat!



For the month of April 2014, we feature the diminutive Lycaenid, the Elbowed Pierrot (Caleta elna elvira). A black-and-white butterfly, the Elbowed Pierrot is seasonally common in Singapore, where it is found mainly in the forested nature reserves. It flies with an erratic and rapid flight, fluttering restlessly amongst the shrubbery and open footpaths within the nature reserves.





The Elbowed Pierrot is predominantly black above, with a broad white band extending across the forewings to the hindwings. The underside is white with an angled sub-basal band on the forewing which probably gave the butterfly its common name. There is a series of conjoined post-discal black spots on both wings.



The butterfly is most often spotted and photographed when puddling at muddy forest paths and sandy streambanks that are tainted with decomposing organic matter. At times, several individuals can be seen puddling together with species of other families of butterflies.





There is a white-tipped filamentous tail at vein 2 of the hindwing. The abdomen of the butterfly is striped black and white, as are its legs. The eyes are an opaque jet-black, with prominent white and hairy palpi. It has a habit of fluttering around low bushes and then settling on a thin twig or the tip of a leaf to rest, whilst sliding its hindwings up and down to animate its tails.


A group of puddling Elbowed Pierrots.  How many can you see?

It has been locally bred on Ziziphus sp. a thorny straggling shrub that is relatively common in the nature reserves. The life history features only 4 instars at its caterpillar stage. The entire documentation of its life history can be found here.



Text by Khew SK : Photos by Sunny Chir, Chng CK, Federick Ho, Khew SK, Loke PF, Bobby Mun, Jonathan Soong, Horace Tan, Anthony Wong, Mark Wong& Benjamin Yam

This blog article is dedicated to Simon Sng, a veteran butterfly watcher and photographer, and a long-time friend and active supporter of ButterflyCircle. Simon's avatar and nick in the ButterflyCircle community is the Elbowed Pierrot.

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Butterflies Galore! : Great Helen

April 23, 2014, 6:40 pm
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Butterflies Galore!
The Great Helen (Papilio iswara iswara)



This large swallowtail is one of Singapore's forest-dependent species that is rarely, if ever, found in urban parks and gardens. They are often seen flying erratically amongst the treetops and stopping to feed when Saraca and Syzygium trees are flowering. A large species with a wingspan reaching 140mm in females, the Great Helen is considered moderately rare. Seasonally, sightings of several individuals flying in the same locality have been reported.

This photo is interesting, in that the Great Helen has rarely been photographed puddling in Singapore. Both males and females have always been observed flying amongst the treetops in the forests. Although this species has been seen puddling in Malaysia, this is the first time that anyone has captured evidence that it does puddle locally if conditions are right. This shot was taken by ButterflyCircle member Jerome Chua.

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New Butterfly Book Launched!

April 25, 2014, 6:31 pm
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New Butterfly Book Launched
"Butterflies of Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore & Thailand"


ButterflyCircle members with Dr Kirton

Dr Laurence G Kirton's latest book in the Naturalist's Guide series, entitled "Butterflies of Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand" was finally launched on 24 Apr 2014. We had earlier had a sneak peek at the book which started some time back in 2011.



After some months of planning for the launch, which included inviting the intrepid Prof Leo Tan to be the Guest of Honour, deciding on the venue and guest list, the book launch finally happened at 5pm at the Education Room at Singapore's latest garden attraction, the Gardens by the Bay.


Dr & Mrs Kirton at the tulip display, Flower Dome

Pansing Distribution Pte Ltd, the Singapore based distributor of John Beaufoy's books, was the organiser and sponsor of the book launch. The day started with a delicious lunch at the Peach Garden Restaurant with Leslie Lim (of Pansing), John Beaufoy, Dr and Mrs Kirton and me. It was a pity that Ken Scriven was unwell and did not manage to make the trip to Singapore from the UK.


An overview of the Flower Dome

It was nice catching up with old friends, especially with Laurence and his wife, who last visited Singapore to give a talk to ButterflyCircle in 2009. After lunch, we took the opportunity to visit the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest conservatories. As with many first-time visitors to GB, our guests were wowed by the botanical display in the airconditioned domes. The current display in the Flower Dome featured 50,000 tulips that were air-flown all the way from their native home in the Netherlands.





All too soon, it was nearly 4pm and Leslie herded the group out of the domes to prepare for the launch and arrival of the guests to the book launch. It was a gathering of "greenies" and old friends as the guests started streaming in. Amongst the prominent conservationists and environmental champions were people like Ria Tan, Subaraj, Joseph Koh, Prof Peter Ng, Geoff Davison, Lena Chan, Grant Pereira, Dr Wee Yeow Chin and many others. We also had many overseas guests like Joseph Goh and his team from the Penang Butterfly Farm and Gary Ruben who made the trip all the way from Langkawi.



Our Minister of State for National Development, Desmond Lee turned up to give his full support for the event. Prof Leo Tan, always energetic and with a warm smile, was mingling amongst old friends in the Education Room. ButterflyCircle members turned up in full force, as a total of 25 members from Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand contributed about 75% of the photographs in Dr Kirton's book. A group from the Tampines-Changkat Butterfly Interest Group also turned up to support the event.


John Beaufoy gives his speech

After a welcome speech by Leslie, who reminded everyone that the launch was meant to be an informal one, and everyone should relax and have a good time, the publisher John Beaufoy, gave an anecdote-filled speech about how the book came into being.


Prof Leo Tan, our Guest of Honour, sharing his anecdotes about butterflies

Our Guest of Honour, Prof Leo Tan, always an accomplished orator at such events, captured the audience with his interesting experiences and peppered his speech with his wit and humour.



Dr Kirton presenting some interesting facts about butterflies of Southeast Asia, and the attentive audience

Dr Kirton then had his moment, as he shared his story of how the book came about. It was an interesting presentation about the butterfly species in the three South East Asian countries. Dr Kirton also shared the rationale for the retention or changes to the taxonomic naming, and more interestingly how he arrived at the common names for the featured butterflies in his book.





Whilst the Latin taxonomic names are generally used by scientists and entomologists and generated less controversy, the English Common Names often varied from country to country, and many species are referred to by more than one common name, or conversely, one common name may be used for two different species. Dr Kirton explained his criteria and rationale for the changing of, or retaining some common names of butterflies.



Dr Kirton autographing his book for his fans, who queued up patiently for their turn

After his presentation, the audience quickly queued up as Dr Kirton obliged by autographing his book. It must have been hard work for him, as he carefully penned personalised messages to his fans. It was a fun time of chatting and catching up with friends and making new ones, and the organisers, Pansing Distribution threw in a mouth-watering buffet to boot.



All in all, it was a very fun and successful book launch, and everyone went home happy, holding on to the latest book on butterflies in the region.

Text by Khew SK : Photography by Huang CJ, Anthony Wong & Khew SK

Special appreciation and thanks to :

  • John Beaufoy Publishing
  • Dr & Mrs Laurence G Kirton
  • Pansing Distribution Pte Ltd - especially to Leslie, Sasha and Samantha for the liaison work and sponsorship of the event
  • Gardens by the Bay - for the complimentary use of the Education Room for the launch - especially to Dr Tan Wee Kiat, Kenneth Er and Ms Peggy Chong
  • Guest of Honour, Prof Leo Tan
  • Minister of State (National Devt) Desmond Lee for joining in the fun
  • ButterflyCircle members who turned up in full force to support the event
  • Friends and guests who shared the wonderful evening with us

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Life History of the Besta Palm Dart

May 3, 2014, 6:07 am
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Life History of the Besta Palm Dart (Telicota besta bina)


Butterfly Biodata:
Genus: Telicota Moore, 1881
Species: besta Evans, 1949
Sub-species: bina Evans, 1949
Wingspan of Adult Butterfly: 39-48mm
Caterpillar Local Host Plants: Ottochloa nodosa (Poaceae; common name: Slender Panic Grass), Scleria bancana (Cyperaceae; common name: Winged Scleria).

A female Besta Palm Dart.

A male Besta Palm Dart.

A view of the upperside of a male Besta Palm Dart, showing the male brand.

Physical Description of Adult Butterfly:
On the upperside, the wings are black with an orange post-discal band on the forewing running from the dorsum and bent over at vein 6 to continue along the costal margin. The orange-yellow post-discal band on the hindwing runs from vein 1b to space 6. The veins crossing the orange-yellow bands on both wings are black-dusted. The male has a grey brand from about the middle of vein 1b to vein 4 on the forewing. The brand is located nearer to the inner edge of the black discal fascia than to tis outer edge. On the underside, the wings are ochreous with post-discal bands outlined with black. The female is greenish ochreous on the hindwing.

A female Besta Palm Dart.

A view of the upperside of a female Besta Palm Dart.


Field Observations of Butterfly Behaviour:
The Besta Palm Dart is moderately common in Singapore. The adults are strong flyers and are typically sighted along the forest edge amongst the grassy undergrowth. The swift flying adults have been observed to visit flowers and sunbath with open-wings in sunny weather.





Early Stages:
Locally in Singapore, Besta Palm Dart has thus far been observed to utilize a common grass species, Ottochloa nodosa, and a moderately common sedge species Scleria bancana as larval food plants. The caterpillars feed on leaves of the host plant in all instars and live in leaf shelters. As the caterpillar grows in size through progressing instars, it migrates to ever larger shelters constructed by joining cut leaf fragments or the opposite edges of a single blade.

Local host plant #1: Ottochloa nodosa.

Local host plant #2: Scleria bancana.

A leaf shelter of the Besta Palm Dart observed in the field.

The eggs are laid singly on a leaf blade of the host plant, typically on the underside. Each dome-shaped egg is creamy white and appears to be smooth to the naked eyes. A closer inspection reveals numerous short, discontinuous and irregular tiny ridges running in a longitudinal direction. Each egg has a diameter of about 1.1mm.

An egg of the Besta Palm Dart laid on the underside of a leaf blade.

Two views of an egg of the Besta Palm Dart, diameter: 1.1mm.

It takes about 4 days for the egg to hatch. The young caterpillar eats just enough of the shell to emerge, and then immediately proceeds to finish the remaining egg shell. The newly hatched has a length of about 2.9mm. Its pale yellowish body is cylindrical in shape with a small number of very short and tiny dorso-lateral and lateral setae. There is a tuff of long setae on the posterior segment. It has a black head and a black collar on the prothorax

Two views of a mature egg with a portion of the egg shell already eaten.

Two views of a newly hatched caterpillar eating its egg shell.

Two views of a 1st instar caterpillar, early in this intar, length: 2.9mm.

After consuming the egg shell, the newly hatched caterpillar constructs its first leaf shelter,  typically at the tip of a leaf blade. The body takes on a dark undertone after a few feeding sessions on the leaf. The 1st instar takes a total of 4 days to complete with body length reaching about 6mm.

Two views of a 1st instar caterpillar, length: 4.8mm.

A late 1st instar caterpillar, dormant prior to its moult, length: 5.8mm.

The body of the 2nd instar caterpillar resembles that of the first instar, but with the dark collar on the prothorax now vaguely present. The setae at the posterior end are now proportionately shorter and the anal plate takes on a greyish coloration. The body colour is mainly yellowish green with a dark green undertone. This instar lasts about 4 days with the body length reaching up to 10mm.

Two views of a 2nd instar caterpillar, early in this stage.

Two views of a 2nd instar caterpillar, length: 7.8mm.

The 3nd instar caterpillar resembles the 2nd instar caterpillar except for a more yellowish green body colour and the nearly indistinguishable collar mark on the prothorax. In contrast, the anal plate is now marked prominently in black. This instar lasts a total of 3-4 days with the body length reaching about 15mm.

Two views of a 3rd instar caterpillar, early in this stage, length: 9.8mm.

Two views of a 3rd instar caterpillar, length: 11mm.

Two views of a late 3rd instar caterpillar, dormant prior to its moult, length: 14.5mm.

The 4th instar caterpillar resembles the 3rd instar caterpillar closely. In some specimens, the head capsule has pale grey or brown lateral patches which are rather indistinct. This instar lasts 5-6 days with the body length reaching about 23-24mm.

Two views of a newly moulted 4th instar caterpillar.

Two views of a 4th instar caterpillar, length: 20mm.

Two views of a late 4th instar caterpillar, dormant prior to its moult, length: 23mm.

The 5th instar brings along a prominent change in the head capsule which now has two large pale brown lateral patches separated by dark band lining the epicranial suture. The body is now predominantly yellow with a a green undertone. The black marking on the anal plate has been observed to vary in size and shape among different specimens.

A newly moulted 5th instar caterpillar, length: 21.5mm.

Two views of a male 5th instar caterpillar, length: 26.5mm.

The 5th instar takes about 10-11 days to complete with the body length reaching up to 34-36mm, In the last day of this instar, the body gradually shorten and changes colour to beige purplish brown. The caterpillar ceases feeding and whitish powdery substance begin to appear on its ventrum. Next it proceeds to seal the shelter it is in with silk threads. Soon the caterpillar becomes dormant in this pupation shelter. This prepupatory phase lasts for about 1 day.

Two views of a 5th instar caterpillar, late in this stage, length: 31mm.

A pupation shelter opened to reveal  a pre-pupa of The Besta Palm Dart.

Pupation takes place within the leaf shelter. The pupa does not have a cremastral attachment nor a silk girdle and it is mainly secured with tightly woven silk threads in the shelter. It has a short thorax, a rather long abdomen, and a few tuffs of setae at the anterior segment. The body is dark brown in the thorax and wing pad areas, but orangy brown in the abdomen. Length of pupae: 22-23mm.

Two views of a pupa of the Besta Palm Dart, length:22mm.

Close up views of the anterior end of a pupa of the Besta Palm Dart.

After 9 days, the pupa becomes dark brown with the thorax and wing pads mostly black. The orange markings present on the forewing upperside are now visible through the now translucent pupal skin. Eclosion takes place the next day.

Two views of a mature pupa of the Besta Palm Dart.

A newly eclosed Besta Palm Dart.

References:
  • [C&P4] The Butterflies of The Malay Peninsula, A.S. Corbet and H.M. Pendlebury, 4th Edition, Malayan Nature Society, 1992.
  • Butterflies of Thailand, Pisuth Ek-Amnuay, 2nd Edition, 2012.
  • A Field Guide to the Butterflies of Singapore, Khew S.K., Ink On Paper Communications, 2010.
Text and Photos by Horace Tan.
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Butterflies Galore! : Chocolate Albatross

May 5, 2014, 5:00 pm
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Butterflies Galore!
The Chocolate Albatross (Appias lyncida vasava)



The Chocolate Albatross is a fast-flying Pierid that has been recorded in Singapore as a rare seasonal migrant.  At this point in time, it has not established a resident colony in Singapore yet, but the species is regularly sighted almost every year during the peak butterfly season in the region. In Malaysia, the species is common and can even be described as abundant during certain times of the year.

This year, in 2014, there have been more sightings of this species in many locations around the island - from urban areas to nature reserves. Many males and females have been sighted over the past weeks in late March and April. Eggs of the Chocolate Albatross have also been observed on its host plant - Crateva religiosa at an urban park. Are we observing the beginnings of the naturalisation of this species in Singapore? We'll have to wait and see. This shot of a male Chocolate Albatross was taken by ButterflyCircle member Koh CH last weekend.

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Butterflies Galore! : Pale Grass Blue

May 7, 2014, 7:07 pm
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Butterflies Galore!
The Pale Grass Blue (Zizeeria maha serica)



This species was first discovered by veteran ButterflyCircle member Steven Neo in 2001. Photographs that were sent to Col Eliot in 2003 were verified by him that this the taxon Zizeeria maha serica which originates from Hong Kong. The Pale Grass Blue may have hitched a ride into Singapore via horticultural material imported from the region. The caterpillar host plant of this species is the Yellow Wood Sorrell (Oxalis corniculata). The full life history is recorded here.

The Pale Grass Blue is often confused with the two local Grass Blue species - the Lesser Grass Blue and the Pygmy Grass Blue. However, when a shot of the three species is available, identification is usually not a problem. The underside markings of the Pale Grass Blue are more pronounced and darker. Males are a light blue on the upperside whilst females are a greyish blue. This shot was taken by young ButterflyCircle member Jonathan Soong in his urban garden.

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Revision to the Common Names of Butterflies

May 10, 2014, 3:21 am
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A Revision to the Common Names of Butterflies
Part 1 : Changes Due to Socially Unacceptable Reasons


A pair of mating Niggers (!!)

After the excitement and fanfare of our most recent butterfly book, featuring butterflies from the South East Asian countries of Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand died down, I managed to find some time to read the book in greater detail. Also, remembering some of the principles elaborated by Dr Kirton at his talk during the launch, I went about analysing some of the background behind the English Common name updates in the book.


Dr Laurence Kirton speaks at his book launch in Singapore

At Dr Kirton's talk, he outlined the basic rationale behind what caused him to change some of the more widely used English common names in the region. Whether these name changes would cause further confusion amongst the butterfly enthusiasts or not, or will become standard usage in time to come, would depend on the general acceptance amongst the stakeholders.



As English common names are certainly not within the exclusive domain of scientists, taxonomists or academics, these names can be coined by practically anyone who has more than a fleeting interest in butterflies. Naming conventions and fundamental rationale can sometimes be illogical and often defy common comprehension. Some names appear logical and obvious - dependent on the physical attributes of the butterfly species concerned, whilst others have dubious associations at best, or even appear questionable.


A Lesser Darkie perches on a leaf

Through common usage, some of these names have spread across the region amongst butterfly enthusiasts - some have stuck through their popularity, whilst others vary depending on the country of origin, and the 'authorities' who have named them. It is often confusing, when a particular species carries different English names in different countries. I will not go into the Chinese common names in this article, though I was told that in certain cases, a single species can have up to 6 or 7 Chinese common names across the Chinese-speaking countries!


© Dr Laurence Kirton, Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM)

Dr Kirton outlined the following basic principles that he adopted in his latest book, which determined whether he made changes (or not) to the English common names of butterflies in the region :
  1. Where the original name is socially unacceptable / derogatory
  2. Where the name has incorrect syntax or grammar
  3. Where the original name refers to a people group
  4. Where the same name is used for different species
  5. Where multiple names are used for the same species
  6. Where different regions use different names
He went on to clarify that "Common names usually follow as closely as possible to WA Evans' (1927) "The Identification of Indian Butterflies" : Bombay Natural History Society, Madras 302 pp.



Whilst most of us would not have any issue with the principles above, the devil would be in the details and the rationale for the continued adoption of the 'common usage' names or not, would have to be evaluated and discussed from various alternative perspectives and points of view.



For a start, I will discuss the name change for four species of butterflies which I would deem as necessary. The rationale behind the name change would be that the original names in today's politically-sensitive environment, would fall under the category of being "socially unacceptable and/or derogatory". I had, some years back, written a piece on a butterfly that was unfortunate enough to be called a Nigger. Perhaps in an era when life was more simple and straightforward, such names would not offend anyone, but today, such a name would be considered derogatory to certain ethnic groups, and deemed unacceptable.


© Dr Laurence Kirton, FRIM

In Dr Kirton's detailed explanations during his talk about the Nigger made a lot of sense. We support the new name coined for the species Orsotriaena medus cinerea and it will henceforth be called Dark Grass Brown. Other names suggested earlier, either already in print or on the internet are :
  • "Blackie" - by Kazuhisa Otsuka in Butterflies of Borneo and South East Asia, 2001
  • "Jungle Brown" - by Smith, 1989
  • "Dusky Bush Brown" and "Smooth Eyed Bush Brown" by Braby 1997 and 2010
  • "Medus Bush Brown" - by Kunte et al, 2014



Three other species found in Singapore, also having names which are considered derogatory and have been changed in Dr Kirton's book, belong to the Miletinae subfamily. The earlier innocuous names are now considered ethnic slurs - labels used used as insinuations or allegations about members of a given ethnicity or to refer to them in a derogatory (critical or disrespectful), pejorative (disapproving or contemptuous), or insulting manner in the English-speaking world.


From Darkie to Darlie - the evolution of a name and logo of a popular toothpaste brand in Asia

The first of the common names is "Darkie". In the list of ethnic slurs, the word "darkie" refers to a black person (similar to Nigger) and is highly likely to cause offense to certain ethnic groups. In the consumer product world, a toothpaste company, Hawley & Hazel, used to market a popular brand of toothpaste called "Darkie". The brand well-known in Asia and Australasia, was subsequently rebranded as "Darlie" some time in 1989 to avoid the politically-incorrect and potentially derogatory reference to Afro-Americans.


Lesser Darkie will now be called Lesser Darkwing

In our butterfly world, there is a species known as the Lesser Darkie (Allotinus unicolor unicolor). The English common name is a bit of a mystery, as the butterfly neither black or has any features that suggest the name. Dr Kirton has renamed this species as the Lesser Darkwing. It is a name that avoids the controversy of an ethnic slur and appears to be safe for use without offending anyone. So Lesser Darkwing it will be!


Bigg's Brownie will now be called Bigg's Brownwing

A third generic common name, which also has ethnically derogatory connotations, particular in common usage in the United States, is the "Brownie". Whilst less well-known than Nigger and Darkie, the word Brownie is generally used as a derogatory slur to refer to a :
a. (US) a person of mixed white and black ancestry; a mulatto.
b. (US) a young, brown-skinned person 1940s–1950s.
c. (US) derogatory name to refer to brown Mexican people.


Blue Brownwing, underside and (inset) upperside of the wings

There was even a recent article that highlights the use of the word "Brownie" (in a non-complimentary way) to refer to US President Barack Obama! Hence, the avoidance of the potentially controversial word "Brownie" is timely and should be removed from our butterflies' names as well.  Having said that, however, I wonder when someone will change the name of my favourite chocolate "brownie" dessert! But that is certainly another debate for another forum.


Blue Brownie will now be called Blue Brownwing

In Singapore, we have the Blue Brownie (Miletus symethus petronius) and the Bigg's Brownie (Miletus biggsii biggsii). Along the same logical lines of naming the Darkwings, Dr Kirton also suggests a name change from Brownie to Brownwing.  So Miletus symethus will now be called Blue Brownwing, whilst Miletus biggsii will be renamed as Bigg's Brownwing.


Bigg's Brownie will now be called Bigg's Brownwing

In summary, these are the four species relevant to the Singapore butterfly fauna that ButterflyCircle will be making changes to - from Nigger to Dark Grass Brown; from Lesser Darkie to Lesser Darkwing; from Blue Brownie to Blue Brownwing and from Bigg's Brownie to Bigg's Brownwing.  We accept these changes due to the rationale that Dr Kirton has articulated in his presentation, and we see no reason to disagree with the reasons behind the change.  However, there is still room for debate, and the changes to the English common names, like the regular taxonomic revisions to species' scientific names, will probably not be cast in stone!


Blue Brownie will now be called Blue Brownwing

Whilst our hardcopy Field Guide to the Butterflies of Singapore 2010 has used these original names and no amendments can be made at this point in time, any future editions will make these changes accordingly. Our online collaterals will make the changes henceforth. All the four species' names fall under the collective category of "socially unacceptable" or "derogatory" in terms of negative ethnic slurs.



We will evaluate other name changes as proposed by Dr Kirton in our forthcoming blog articles, where various ButterflyCircle members have given their opinions which may not necessarily concur with Dr Kirton's proposed name changes. These will be dealt with eventually, and discussions will be made regarding our opinions which offer contrarian and alternative viewpoints to those raised by Dr Kirton.


Farewell Nigger, Hello Dark Grass Brown!

In the meantime, we will take our time to digest and try to understand the backgrounds behind some of these name changes and we will not rush to make any hasty changes. Some of these original names have sentimental, emotional, historical or even nationalistic (!) connotations, and even if the names are changed, it may take a long time before they become widely accepted for daily usage amongst butterfly enthusiasts.

Text by Khew SK : Photos by Sunny Chir, Khew SK, Koh CH, Loke PF,  Tan BJ, Benedict Tay & Mark Wong

References : 

  • List of Ethnic Slurs - Source - Wikipedia
  • List of Ethnic Slurs by Ethnicity - Source : FileSharingTalk
  • A Naturalist's Guide to the Butterflies of P. Malaysia, Singapore & Thailand, Laurence G Kirton : John Beaufoy Publishing 2014
  • [C&P1] The Butterflies of The Malay Peninsula, A.S. Corbet and H.M. Pendlebury, 1st Edition, Kyle & Palmer, 1934.
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Butterflies Galore! : Plain Tiger

May 11, 2014, 9:00 pm
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Butterflies Galore! 
The Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus chrysippus)



The Plain Tiger is a common urban species that has been spreading around Singapore's parks and gardens ever since its caterpillar host plants, Calotropis gigantea and Asclepias curassavica, have been cultivated as butterfly-attracting plants. Back in the 1990's, the species was relatively unknown in the urban environment. Today, it can be considered to be abundant in the vicinity of butterfly gardens where its host plants can be found.

A medium-sized and colourful butterfly, it flies slowly and will usually not go unnoticed by the casual observer visiting our parks and gardens. The mating pair perched on the red cultivar of the Snakeweed (Stachytarpheta indica), shows the male (top) and female (bottom). Note that the male Plain Tiger has an extra black spot on the hindwing. This mating pair was shot yesterday at the Gardens By the Bay's open butterfly garden.

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Butterflies Galore! : Green Oakblue

May 15, 2014, 5:08 am
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Butterflies Galore!
The Green Oakblue (Arhopala eumolphus maxwelli)



The male Green Oakblue is one of three extant species of the genus Arhopala that features metallic green uppersides instead of the usual purple or dark blue uppersides that are more common amongst the species in the genus. The female of the Green Oakblue, however, features purple uppersides with broad black borders on both wings (shown above). The species was re-discovered in Singapore some time in late 2007 in a patch of forested area near a reservoir park. The full life history has been documented here. Click on the link to see the male of the Green Oakblue.



The underside of the Green Oakblue is typical Arhopala - brown with the usual striations. One of the key distinguishing markings is the post-discal spot in space 4 on the forewing being out of line with the spots above and below it. The species is considered moderately rare, but is very local and at times, several individuals may be spotted together. This pristine female Green Oakblue was shot by young ButterflyCircle member, Jonathan Soong.

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Life History of the Gram Blue

May 17, 2014, 1:48 am
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Life History of the Gram Blue (Euchrysops cnejus cnejus)


Butterfly Biodata:
Genus: Euchrysops Butler, 1900
Species: cnejus Fabricius, 1798
Subspecies:cnejus Fabricius, 1798
Wingspan of Adult Butterfly: 20-26mm
Caterpillar Local Host Plants: Pueraria phaseoloides (Fabaceae/Leguminosae, common name: tropical kudzu), Vigna reflexopilosa (Fabaceae/Leguminosae, common name: creole bean).


The upperside view of a male Gram Blue.

Physical Description of Adult Butterfly:
On the upperside, the male is pale purple and with tornal spots in spaces 1b and 2 of the hindwing thinly crowned in orange. The female has a brown border on both wings and is pale shining blue in the basal area, and its hindwing has submarginal spots bordered with a dark sinuate line and larger and more prominent orange-crowned tornal spots in spaces 1b and 2. On the underside, both sexes are pale buff with a series of marginal, submarginal and post-discal spots, all pale brown and white-bordered. In the hindwing, there are three black basal spots, one black costal spot, two orange-crowned tornal spots in spaces 1b and 2 which are edged with metallic green scales and a white-tipped tail at the end of vein 1b.

The upperside view of a female Gram Blue.



Field Observations:
Gram Blue is moderately common in Singapore. Its distribution is rather localized and at times they can be locally abundant in wastelands or trail side where its host plants, the tropical kudzu and the creon bean, are growing as weeds. In the early morning and late afternoon sun, both sexes are often seen sunbathing on leaves with open wings. The adults have the habit of visiting flowers of various weeds for nectar.






Early Stages:
So far, only two host plants, Pueraria phaseoloides and Vigna reflexopilosa, have been recorded as the local larval host for Gram Blue. The caterpillars feed on young leaves, seed pods and flowers of these host plants.

Local host plant #1:Pueraria phaseoloides.

Local host plant #2:Vigna reflexopilosa.

A mating pair of the Gram Blue.

The eggs are laid singly on a young shoot or a flower bud of the host plant. Each egg is about 0.6mm in diameter, and whitish with a strong greenish undertone. It is discoid-shaped with a depressed micropylar at the center of the upper surface. The egg surface is reticulated with a fine pattern of ridges and indentations which are larger along the rim of the upperside.

Two views of an egg of the Gram Blue.

Two views of a 1st instar caterpillar, newly hatched, length: 1mm.

It takes about 2.5 days for the egg to hatch. The newly hatched has a black head and a pale yellowish body with a length of about 1mm. The body also features long setae dorso-laterally and along the body fringe. After about 2.5-3 days of growth in the first instar, and reaching a length of about 2.2mm, the caterpillar moults to the next instar. Towards the end of the 1st instar, the caterpillar develops yellowish dorsal band, and dorso-lateral bands.

Two views of a 1st instar caterpillar, length: 2mm.

Two views of a late 1st instar caterpillar, dormant prior to its moult, length: 2mm.

In the 2nd instar, there are numerous short and fine setae covering the body surface. The head is still black in color. The caterpillar is either yellowish green or pale yellowish brown with dorso-lateral and dorsal bands. At this stage, the dorsal nectary organ is present but indistinct. The 2nd instar caterpillar reaches a length of about 4mm, and after about 3 days in this stage, it moults again.

Two views of a 2nd instar caterpillar, early in this stage, length: 2.2mm.

Two views of a late 2nd instar caterpillar, dormant prior to its moult, length:3.5mm.

Compared to the 2nd instar caterpillar, the 3rd instar caterpillar bears a denser coat of short setae on its yellowish green body. The narrow and dark dorsal band is bordered with white bands on both sides, and there are oblique whitish stripes protruding from the dorsum to eitehr sides. The dorsal nectary organ and the pair of tentacular organs, on the 7th and 8th abdominal segments, are now readily observed. The 3rd instar takes about 3 to 3.5 days to complete with the body length reaching about 7-7.5mm.

Two views of a 3rd instar caterpillar, early in this stage, length: 4mm.

Two views of a 3rd instar caterpillar, with part of its head in the seed pod (at the right), length: 6mm.

Two views of a late 3rd instar caterpillar, dormant prior to its moult, length: 6mm.

The 4th instar caterpillar has a dense coat of short setae all over the body surface. The body coloration could be entirely green or pale yellowish green. In some specimens, short reddish strips can be seen along the dorsal line. The oblique lateral markings seen in the 3rd instar are still present but rather indistinct.

Two views of a 4th instar caterpillar, early in this stage, length: 8mm.

Two 4th instar caterpillars, lengths: 12.5mm (top, pale yellowish green) and 13.5mm (bottom, green).

A 4th instar caterpillar attended by a small ant, note the extruded tentacular organs nearby.

After about 4-5 days of feeding in the 4th instar and reaching a length of about 14mm, the caterpillar stops food intake and seeks out a pupation site. During this time, its body gradually shrinks and turns uniformly green. Typically the caterpillar chooses a spot on a leaf for its pupation site. The pre-pupatory caterpillar prepares for pupation by spinning a silk girdle and a silk pad to which it attaches itself via anal claspers.

Two views of a pre-pupa of the Gram Blue, already girdled down.

After about 1 day as a pre-pupa, pupation takes place. The pupa is predominantly yellowish green to green and has a fair number of small black spots/specks over its body surface, arranged in a symmetrical manner about the dorsal line. The pupa has a typical lycaenid shape. There are short whitish fine setae on its body and at the anterior end. Pupal length: 10-10.5mm.

Two views of a pupa of the Gram Blue.

5 to 5.5 days later, the pupa turns dark, first in the wing pad and thorax, then progressively in the abdomen. The extent of the bluish patch in the wing pads gives an early indication of the gender of the soon-to-emerge adult. The next day, the pupal stage comes to an end with the emergence of the adult butterfly.

Two views of a mature pupa of a male Gram Blue.

A newly eclosed Gram Blue.

References:
  • [C&P4] The Butterflies of The Malay Peninsula, A.S. Corbet and H.M. Pendlebury, 4th Edition, Malayan Nature Society, 1992.
  • Butterflies of Thailand, Pisuth Ek-Amnuay, 2nd Edition, 2012.
  • A Field Guide to the Butterflies of Singapore, Khew S.K., Ink On Paper Communications, 2010.
Text by Horace Tan, Photos by Bobby Mun, Benedict Tay, Goh Lai Chong, Jonathan Soong, Koh Cher Hern, Simon Sng, Ben Jin Tan, Federick Ho, Khew SK and Horace Tan.
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Butterflies Galore! : Cruiser

May 19, 2014, 5:58 pm
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Butterflies Galore!
The Cruiser (Vindula dejone erotella)



This medium sized butterfly is regularly seen in the forests in Singapore. With a wingspan of about 70-80 mm, the brightly-coloured orange male is very noticeable when it flutters amongst the shrubbery and along forest paths. Males are a rich fulvous orange above, with a paler discal band. The underside is similarly coloured, but paler, with a distinct brown post-discal stripe across both wings.

The species exhibits sexual dimorphism, where the female is pale-greenish grey with a prominent post-discal white band across both wings. The ocelli on the female's wings are larger and orange-ringed. Both sexes have a short pointed tail at vein 4 of the hindwing. The male is often encountered puddling at sandy streambanks in the forested nature reserves as is shown here. More photos of the Cruiser can be found here.

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Butterflies Galore! : Plain Banded Awl

May 21, 2014, 6:02 pm
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Butterflies Galore!
The Plain Banded Awl (Hasora vitta vitta)



The Awls (Hasora spp) are butterflies that are usually seen in the early morning hours up to about 8 - 9 am, after which they retreat to the shaded forests to rest for most of the day. They have a preference for surfaces of buildings and wooden surfaces near forested areas which are damp with dew in the early morning hours. They are also often spotted feeding on bird droppings in the forests.

Like most skippers, they are fast-flying and alert. This species, the Plain Banded Awl, is moderately rare in Singapore, but is regularly seen from time to time. This individual was reported feeding on the columns of a shelter in our nature reserves together with other species of Hesperiidae. It was photographed by young ButterflyCircle member Jerome Chua. The caterpillar host plant of this species is Spatholobus ferrugineus, and the full life history has been recorded here.

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