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Butterfly of the Month - May 2014

May 24, 2014, 5:27 am
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Butterfly of the Month - May 2014
The Grey Pansy (Junonia atlites atlites)



The month of May 2014 appears to be one that is fraught with political changes and turmoil in many countries in Asia.  Scientists have also forewarned of a climatically extreme year ahead. The cyclical El Nino effect is predicted to peak in 2014, bringing along with it, unprecedented climate conditions. The El Nino effect is the name that climatologists give to warming of the surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific Ocean.



The last time El Nino was at its peak was back in 1997, where there was a prolonged drought in Singapore. That year, the annual rainfall in Singapore was about half of the long-term average and the annual average temperature was 1.4 degrees Celsius above average.  Affecting most of South East Asia, the predicted prolonged drought may bring the dreaded haze back to the region, if the unabated slash-and-burn land-clearing methods continue in neighbouring Indonesia.



Over in Vietnam, protests over China's supposed incursion into Vietnamese territorial waters erupted into violent riots. Anti-Chinese protesters burned factories in various cities and there were fatalities in the unrest. As the unhappiness with China's territorial claims continue, Vietnam would obviously not be the natural choice for visitors and tourists for the short to medium term.




Further north of Singapore, our neighbours in Thailand saw the military declaring martial law to resolve the deepening conflict between the frequently demonstrating supporters of political parties. As the unrest continues, the Embassy of the Republic of Singapore' website advised that Singaporeans "should seriously reconsider visiting Thailand at the moment." It is quite bizarre how situations can change so quickly, particularly when a group of ButterflyCircle members had just recently returned from a fruitful outing in peaceful Chiangmai just about three weeks ago.



Back here in Singapore, the "sakura" season of mass-flowering trees of various species continued into early May. But the natural phenomenon most talked about in the past week or so, revolved around a moth! The Tropical Swallowtail Moth (Lyssa zampa) was seen in great numbers all across the island, from suburban residential areas to multistorey car parks and even tall office buildings in the Central Business District! At my own office building, a moth was seen holding on to dear life outside the window of my 18th storey office!



The outbreak of this moth (which has been frequently mistaken for a large butterfly by members of the public), appears to have been triggered by a confluence of climatic conditions and possibly the reduced predatory pressure towards the end of the avian migration season. No one can be sure why these moths suddenly appeared in numbers but to the casual observers, enjoy them whilst they last!



Our Butterfly of the Month for May 2014, is the Grey Pansy. One of four species that occur in Singapore, the Pansies (named after the colourful flowers from the family Violaceae) are active sun-loving butterflies of the genus Junonia. The Grey Pansy is the rarest amongst the four Pansies that are found here; the others being the Blue, Peacock and Chocolate Pansy.


An example of a dry-season form of the Grey Pansy with obscure and lighter markings

The distribution of the Grey Pansy is quite widespread across Singapore, and the species is locally common at times, particularly in the vicinity of water bodies, where its caterpillar host plant grows. It can be found in the forested nature reserves as well as urban parks and gardens.



The Grey Pansy is a pale violet grey above with the underside light grey. Both wings have dark brown irregular post-discal spots and submarginal lines and streaks. The more prominent ocelli on the fore and hindwings are orange-crowned.



The species has quite distinct wet- and dry-season forms where the underside markings are darker and more pronounced in appearance in the wet-season form, whereas in the dry-season form, the underside markings are very much obscure and paler.



The Grey Pansy is usually alert and skittish, and adopts a flap-and-glide flight pattern. It has a habit of returning repeatedly to a few favourite perches when it patrols its territory, and then open its wings flat to sunbathe. It likes the ripened fruits of the Singapore Rhododendron (Melastoma malabathricum) on which it feeds greedily. Occasionally, it can be spotted puddling at damp footpaths.



The life history has been documented, and will be featured in a forthcoming article on this blog.

Text by Khew SK ; Photos by Sunny Chir, Federick Ho, Khew SK, Bobby Mun, Nelson Ong, Benedict Tay & Benjamin Yam

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Butterflies Galore! : Malayan Eggfly

May 26, 2014, 6:58 pm
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Butterflies Galore!
The Malayan Eggfly (Hypolimnas anomala anomala)



The Malayan Eggfly is a seasonally common species in Singapore.  The caterpillar host plant is the Australian Mulberry (Pipturus argentus), a secondary forest plant that is quite widespread in distribution across the island. The Malayan Eggfly occurs in two forms, i.e. form-anomala and form-nivas. This species is a good example of mimicry, where the Malayan Eggfly mimics the distasteful Danainae "crows". Form-anomala is a good mimic of the male Striped Blue Crow, whilst form-nivas is a good mimic of the Striped Black Crow.

Pictured here is a form-nivas Malayan Eggfly, featuring the white patch on the hindwing that the form-anomala does not have. The white markings on the hindwing can be variable, from a few obscure white stripes to a large distinct patch. This individual was photographed last weekend at the Dairy Farm Nature Park by young ButterflyCircle member, Jonathan Soong.

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Life History of the Blue Jay

May 31, 2014, 6:51 am
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Life History of the Blue Jay (Graphium evemon eventus)


Butterfly Biodata:
Genus: Graphium Scopoli, 1777
Species: evemon Boisduval, 1836
Subspecies: eventus Fruhstorfer, 1908
Wingspan of Adult Butterfly: 50-65mm
Local Caterpillar Host Plant: Artabotrys wrayi (Annonaceae).

A pair of puddling Blue Jay.

A Blue Jay perching on a leaf.

Physical Description of Adult Butterfly:
As with most Graphium species, the wings are produced at the forewing apex and hindwing tornus, and the inner margin of the hindwing bends inwards. On the upperside, the wings are black with a broad bluish macular band running from the sub-apical area of the forewing to the basal area of the hindwing. There is also a series of blue streaks in the cell of the forewing. A series of blue submarginal spots is present in both fore- and hindwings. On the underside, the same spotting pattern can be found against a dark brown base, with the spots larger and more silvery green. Additional red and black spots are featured on the hindwing. Unlike the lookalike species, the Common Jay, the black costal bar in the hindwing of the Blue Jay does not have a red spot, and it is joined to the black basal band.

A puddling Blue Jay.

Another Blue Jay puddling with fully open wings.

Field Observations of Butterfly Behaviour:
Blue Jay is common in Singapore and is oftern seen flying up and down jungle tracks in the nature reserve on sunny days. The males are often observed puddling at damp forest paths and stream banks. The adults are fast flyers and have an "erratic" flight.





Early Stages:
In Singapore, so far only one local host plant, Artabotrys wrayi, has been recorded. However, it is likely that a number of other Artabotrys spp. or generally in the Annonaceae family serve as its local host plants as well. The caterpillars of the Blue Jay feed on the young and immature leaves of the host plant, and has a habit of resting along the main vein of a leaf upperside.

Local host plant, Artobotrys wrayi.

The eggs of the Blue Jay are laid on young leaves of the host plant on either the upper- or underside. The spherical egg is initially creamy white with a diameter of about 1.1-1.2mm.

Eggs laid on Artabotrys wrayi.

Two views of an egg of the Blue Jay.

The egg takes 3-4 days to hatch, and the newly hatched has a body length of about 2.5mm. The entire egg shell is consumed by the newly hatched as its first meal. The body is mainly black and the last abdominal segment is white in contrast. A pair of pale yellowish brown lateral spines can be found on each of the three thoracic segments, and another whitish pair at the anal segment. The body also features rows of short dorsal-lateral tubercles with long setae. The head capsule is dark brown to black.

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

As it feeds and grows in the first instar, the base body color changes from black to brown, its thoracic segments enlarged and turn pale golden brown. The first instar lasts about 3 days with the body length reaches up to 6-6.5mm.

Two views of a 1st instar caterpillar, , length: 4.75mm

In the 2nd instar, the 2nd and 3rd thoracic segments are much enlarged compared to the other body segments. The thoracic pairs of spines are drastically reduced in size in proportion to the body, with the first (prothoracic) pair longer and larger compared to the other two (which are black in colour). The head capsule is yellowish brown, and the sub-spiracular area of the abdominal segments whitish. The body remains brown to dark brown throughout most of this instar, though there is a gradual decolorization as growth progresses. This instar lasts for about 2 days, and the body length reaches 10-11mm.

Two views of a 2nd instar caterpillar, early in this stage, length: 7mm.

Two views of a 2nd instar caterpillar, late in this stage, length: 10mm.

The 3rd instar caterpillar resembles the 2nd instar caterpillar closely. The head capsule is orangy brown at this stage. In about 2.5 days of this instar, the caterpillar grows to about 18-19mm in length before the moult to the 4th instar takes place.

Two views of a 3rd instar caterpillar, early in this stage, length: 12mm.

Two views of a 3rd instar caterpillar, late in this stage, length: 19mm.

A 3rd instar caterpillar of the Blue Jay found in the nature reserve.

The body of the 4th instar caterpillar is initially pale pinky brown but as growth progresses, the colour turns paler to either pale brown (brown form) or yellowish green (green form) towards the end of this instar. The caterpillar has a yellowish to yellowish brown head capsule, and the base of the metathoracic pair of splines is vaguely encircled in ring of yellow or pale brown. The dark thoracic pairs of spines also take on a bluish sheen when viewed at certain perspectives. Now the sub-spiracular area of all body segments are whitish to varying extent. This instar lasts about 2-3 days with the body length reaching about 23-26mm.

Two views of a newly moulted 4th instar caterpillar, eating its exuvia, length: 17mm.

Two views of a 4th instar caterpillar, early in this stage, length: 17mm.

Two views of a 4th instar caterpillar, pale brown form, length: 22mm.

Two views of a 4th instar caterpillar, green form, length: 26mm.

The 5th instar caterpillar resembles the late 4th instar caterpillar, but with the metathoracic pair of splines larger and more prominently marked with a black-outlined yellow to yellowish brown ring at the base, and the mesothoracic pair minuscule or even absent. The last abdominal segment and the anal pair of spines is no longer white but follows the same coloration as the other segments. Each of the two anal splines takes on a black stripe on its outer edge. Soon after moulting, the body color is yellowish green or pale pinky brown initially, but this gradually changes to pale green as growth proceeds, and finally to dark lime green in the final days of this instar. The 5th instar lasts for 4-5 days, and the body length reaches 41-42mm.

Two views of a newly moulted 5th instar caterpillar, resting before eating its exuvia, length: 25mm.

Two views of a 5th instar caterpillar, early in this stage, brown form, length: 26mm.

Two views of a 5th instar caterpillar, early in this stage, green form, length: 32mm.

Two views of a 5th instar caterpillar, late in this stage, length: 42mm.

Towards the end of the 5th instar, the body gradually shortens in length and turns completely pale lime green. The caterpillar wanders around for a pupation site and eventually comes to rest on the underside of a leaf. Here the caterpillar prepares and secures itself with a silk pad and a silk girdle, typically with the silk pad sited at the leaf base.

Two views of a pre-pupatory larva of the Blue Jay.

Pupation takes place a day later. The pupa is pale yellowish green, about 30-32mm in length and has a slender and pointed mesothoracic horn. There are two short and blunt cephalic horns. The abdomen has two dorsal carinae which are pale yellowish and run laterally and continuously to the tip of the mesothoracic horn.

A Blue Jay caterpillar moulting to its pupal stage.

Two views of a pupa of the Blue Jay.

The pupal period typically lasts for 9 days, and the pupa turns black in the wing pads the night before eclosion. The bluish-green spots on the forewings are visible through the pupal skin at this stage. The adult butterfly emerges the next morning to commence the adult phase of its life cycle. It is noteworthy that in the bred specimens, there were two which had their pupal periods stretched to 69 and 167 days respectively, a "overwintering" phenomenon typically observed in temperate regions.

Two views of a mature Blue Jay pupa.

A newly eclosed Blue Jay resting on 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 Henry Koh, Simon Sng, Ellen Tan, Anthony Wong, Sunny Chir, Khew SK and Horace Tan
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Butterflies Galore! : Malayan Sunbeam

June 2, 2014, 7:03 pm
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Butterflies Galore!
The Malayan Sunbeam (Curetis santana malayica)



The Sunbeams belong to a group of small butterflies in the subfamily Curetinae. In the field, the butterflies appear silvery white when in flight. Most of the species in the subfamily feature orange uppersides with thick black marginal borders. There are two extant species of the Sunbeams in Singapore, but it will not be surprising if the other species of the genus, which occur in Malaysia, are encountered here in the future.

They are fast-flyers but are often encountered resting with their wings folded upright - either on top of leaves or at times, on the undersides of leaves. At certain times of the day, they will open their wings to sunbathe and to show their attractive upperside colours. The Sunbeams are also often observed puddling at sandy streambanks, like this individual shot by ButterflyCircle member Nona Ooi. More shots of this pretty butterfly can be found here.

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Four New Discoveries!

June 7, 2014, 5:18 am
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Four New Discoveries in May & June 2014!
Records of new butterfly species in Singapore



Over the past four to six weeks in the months of May and June 2014, Singapore's mainstream and social media was abuzz with the "invasion" of the Tropical Swallowtail Moth (Lyssa zampa) all over Singapore. The large grey-and-white moth, started appearing in residential apartments, office buildings, shopping malls, multi-storey car parks and is too obvious to go unnoticed by all and sundry. There were comments that the appearance of these moths was a bad omen, and that unfortunate events will follow. These are usually common old wives' tales associated with moths and not surprising.


The by-now well known in Singapore moth, the Tropical Swallowtail Moth (Lyssa zampa)

The media reports also featured interviews with ecologists and experts and I was also requested for my opinion on the sudden appearance of these large moths in Singapore. Amongst the many theories and postulations put forth by the experts ranged from the unusually dry weather in the first two months of 2014, the sudden flowering of many species of trees in Singapore and the reduced predation pressure on the caterpillars and adult moths that coincided with the end of the bird migratory season.


A close up view of the Tropical Swallowtail Moth (Lyssa zampa)

Even as Singaporeans wondered about this moth, which continued to appear in numbers everywhere, the Malaysian news reported even larger numbers of the moths across the Causeway, with pictures of lighted buildings literally covered with hundreds of them!


North East winds blowing from Malaysia towards Singapore : Source - National Environment Agency, Singapore

Whilst the moth made the news and piqued the curiosity of the public, butterfly enthusiasts in Singapore also had a lot of excitement with sightings of four new butterfly species over the past four to six weeks! The months of April and May coincide with the end of the North East Monsoon months where light north easterly winds continue to blow from Malaysia towards Singapore. As these are months that also see the increase in butterfly numbers in Malaysia, the late north easterly winds could also have aided some of these butterflies in their journey southwards to Singapore.


The newly discovered Striped Jay (Graphium bathycles bathycloides)

Coupled with the end of the bird migratory season, the reduced predation of butterflies and other sources of food by these birds, could also have been a plausible explanation for the ability for some butterflies to survive the journey across the Straits of Johor into Singapore without being eaten.



Starting with the most recent species spotted in early June, was the Striped Jay (Graphium bathycles bathycloides) by Tea Yi Kai. Whilst on a weekday outing in the Central Catchment Nature Reserves, he spotted this fast-flying Graphium puddling with a number of other Papilionidae. Although this was the first individual to be spotted and identified, Yi Kai also received news from a birder Stanley Feng that he shot another Striped Jay some time back in Oct 2010, after Yi Kai posted his discovery on social media.


A Striped Jay shot in Endau Rompin National Park, Malaysia

Nevertheless, we record this seasonal migratory species (or seasonal stray) as species #312 in the Singapore Butterfly Checklist. Thanks to Yi Kai for spotting and getting photographic evidence of this species in Singapore, and contributing his photos to ButterflyCircle. The Striped Jay is considered a seasonally common lowland species in Malaysia, and often photographed amongst large numbers of puddlers at sandy streambanks in the forested areas. It is a fast-flyer like its other cousins in the Graphium genus and is certainly possible that it flew over from nearby Johor, aided by the winds.


Jerome's shot of a Great Jay (Graphium euryplus mecisteus) another new discovery for Singapore

Just two days before Yi Kai's discovery, ButterflyCircle member Jerome Chua was also at almost the same location as Yi Kai in the Central Catchment and he photographed a tattered individual of another Graphium species. When he posted the photo, it was quickly validated as another of the "Jay" species - the Great Jay (Graphium euryplus mecisteus). Again, this species has never been recorded from Singapore before, and is now added to the Checklist as species #313.


A shot of the Great Jay at Endau Rompin National Park, Malaysia

The Great Jay is relatively rarer than the Striped Jay, gauging from our own experience from trips to Endau Rompin National Park in central Johor in Malaysia, and other butterfly-rich areas further up north. The Blue Jay (Graphium evemon eventus), Common Jay (Graphium doson evemonides) and Striped Jay tend to be more often photographed on these outings than the Great Jay.



But it could be due to the seasonality of some of these closely related species. Equally as fast-flying as its other cousins, the Great Jay could also have flown here on its own steam, perhaps with a little bit of help from the north-easterly winds.




A series of shots of the Red Helen by Clayton Low, using his mobile phone

Just around the time when Jerome discovered the Great Jay, another butterfly watcher, Clayton Low, was at the rather urban location of the National University of Singapore in the southern part of Singapore, when he spotted a large black swallowtail. Using his mobile phone, the quick thinking Clayton managed to get three shots of the swallowtail when it was feeding on the flowers of the Ixora. Another surprise new discovery! This time, it was the Red Helen (Papilio helenus helenus), another species that was not in the checklists of the early authors.


A Red Helen shot in Malaysia

The Red Helen is closely related to the two extant species in Singapore - the Great Helen (Papilio iswara iswara) and the Blue Helen (Papilio prexaspes prexaspes). It is not rare in the lowlands in Malaysia, and outings amongst butterfly watchers often yielded many shots of this species puddling where more than five or six individuals are seen together. Thanks to Clayton for contributing his photos to be featured in this blog.


A group of puddling Papilionidae.  How many Red Helens do you see?

How this species managed to make it so far south, deep into Singapore, is another mystery. Clayton's photos of what he spotted showed a relatively pristine individual, minus the usual wear-and-tear of a butterfly that has survived a long migratory journey from up north. Could it be an escapee from the nearby Sentosa Butterfly Park, where the Red Helen is one of the species featured in the enclosure? Or this individual was just robust (and lucky!) enough to make the journey into Singapore from Malaysia without getting bashed up? Nevertheless, we record this as species #314 in the Singapore Checklist.


A dead female Lesser Albatross (Appias paulina distanti) shot by Wong Chung Cheong

Finally, Yong Yik Shih, a nature enthusiast, sent a photo of a dead butterfly to the ButterflyCircle chat group. It was shot by a bird photographer Wong Chung Cheong at the Rivervale area in Singapore. This was clearly a female Lesser Albatross (Appias paulina distanti), another new record for Singapore. The Pieridae species are strong flyers and known for their migratory ability, and certain species like the Catopsilia spp. even bear the name "Emigrant" in their English Common Name! It is certainly possible that this female Lesser Albatross made it across the Causeway on her own steam but succumbed to either fatigue or even the venomous bite of a spider that ended her short life.


Another female Lesser Albatross captured by Abiel Neo in May 2005 in Singapore

Nevertheless, credit to Yik Shih and Chung Cheong for contributing their discovery to this blog, and we record this species as #315 in the Checklist. Upon noticing this discovery, veteran ButterflyCircle member Steven Neo reported that his son, Abiel Neo, captured another female Lesser Albatross many years back at SAFTI Military Institute in Jurong on the western side of Singapore. Abiel was serving his national service at SAFTI when he came across the stray female Lesser Albatross, and the specimen is labeled as found on 15 May 2005. Again, another sighting in the month of May!



Top : A male Lesser Albatross shot in Fraser's Hill   Bottom : Three male Lesser Albatrosses puddling in Endau Rompin National Park, Malaysia

The Lesser Albatross is seasonally common in Malaysia, and we have encountered males of the species puddling in numbers at sandy streambanks in the forest. Coincidentally, in the past two months, there have been many sightings of the related Chocolate Albatross (Appias lyncida vasava) a recorded seasonal migrant to Singapore, ranging from Seletar Country Club to the nature reserves and all the way down south to Gardens by the Bay! A female Chocolate Albatross was even observed ovipositing on its caterpillar host plant in the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

The past few months have been remarkable in terms of new Lepidoptera sightings, from the currently ubiquitous Lyssa zampa to the new butterfly species observed. Thus far, these seasonal migrants or strays recorded this year are :

  • Malaysian Albatross (Saletara panda distanti) in Apr 2014
  • Red Spot Sawtooth (Prioneris philonome themana) in Apr 2014
  • Lesser Albatross (Appias paulina distanti) in May 2014 (also spotted in May 2005)
  • Red Helen (Papilio helenus helenus) in May 2014
  • Great Jay (Graphium euryplus mecisteus) in May 2014 
  • Striped Jay (Graphium bathycles bathycloides) in June 2014 (also spotted in Oct 2010)


A male Red Helen puddling at Endau Rompin National Park, Malaysia

It would be great if these species are able to somehow breed in Singapore and become naturalised species rather than migratory strays. But we will never know for sure. So do keep your eyes peeled for new butterflies coming across from our neighbouring countries. They certainly do not have to respect geographical and political boundaries like we humans do, and will come and go as they please, as long as the environment and habitats are conducive to their sustainable existence.

Text by Khew SK : Photos by Tea Yi Kai, Jerome Chua, Clayton Low, Wong Chung Cheong, David Fischer, Khew SK, Mark Wong, Abiel Neo & Steven Neo

Special thanks to Tea Yi Kai, Clayton Low, Yong Yik Shih and Wong Chung Cheong for sharing their finds with ButterflyCircle.
  • [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 and Singapore, W.A. Fleming, 2nd Edition, Longmans, 1991
  • Butterflies of Thailand, Pisuth Ek-Amnuay, 2nd Edition, 2012.
  • Butterflies of Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore & Thailand, Laurence G Kirton, Beaufoy Publishing, 2014
  • A Field Guide to the Butterflies of Singapore, Khew S.K., Ink On Paper Communications, 2010.
Special remarks on the English Common Names of the butterflies featured in this article : the names are taken from the literature cited above as they are more relevant to the butterflies of the South East Asian region.  There are other references on the Internet, e.g. Wikipedia and other sources like the checklists of butterflies in North Asia and various Indian butterfly fauna literature which refer to these species by different common names.  However, we maintain that reference to the books that are written by authors relevant to South East Asian butterflies would be more applicable and we choose to use the names quoted in these books for our local butterflies, where applicable.
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Butterflies Galore! : Chocolate Grass Yellow

June 9, 2014, 5:00 pm
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Butterflies Galore!
The Chocolate Grass Yellow (Eurema sari sodalis)



Amongst all the lookalike Grass Yellow species in Singapore, the Chocolate Grass Yellow is the more distinctive and easy to identify. The large dark brown apical patch on the underside of the hindwing instantly sets it aside from all the other Eurema species. The Chocolate Grass Yellow prefers the sanctuary of the forested areas and is less often encountered in manicured urban parks and gardens.

The species is often encountered puddling at muddy paths and sandy streambanks, sometimes in groups of a dozen or more individuals. When it is disturbed, the Chocolate Grass Yellow has a habit of flying under a leaf to rest upside down, with its wings folded upright, as is shown here in this photo. Several other species amongst the Eurema also display this behaviour.

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Butterflies Galore! : Anderson's Grass Yellow

June 10, 2014, 5:00 pm
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Butterflies Galore!
The Anderson's Grass Yellow (Eurema andersonii andersonii)



This species is another forest species that is more often encountered within the sanctuary of the forested nature reserves of Singapore. It is moderately common but usually encountered singly. It is difficult to distinguish this species with certainty from its lookalike cousins in the Eurema genus, particularly when in flight. It also displays the habit of hiding upside down under a leaf shelter when disturbed.

This abnormally small individual was encountered last weekend in the Central Catchment nature reserves. Although it features the usual single cell spot on the underside of the forewing, the prominent subapical streak that is usually associated with this species is also missing. Here, it was photographed puddling by ButterflyCircle member Anthony Wong.

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Butterflies Galore! : Common Three Ring

June 11, 2014, 5:00 pm
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Butterflies Galore! 
The Common Three Ring (Ypthima pandocus corticaria)



In Singapore, this is the largest of the Ypthima species. Though common, the Common Three Ring is rather local in distribution and keeps close to the forest edges in grassy patches. The species usually flutters close to the forest floor, sometimes foraging amongst leaf litter. When at rest, it stops to perch with its wings folded upright. At certain hours of the day, it opens its wings to sunbathe at sunlit spots.

An earlier article on this blog showcases this "Cinderella of Butterflies" as one species that is usually ignored by butterfly watchers. This shot of a Common Three Ring, photographed by ButterflyCircle member Loke PF last weekend, is unique in that the species is not often encountered puddling. In this case, it was puddling on a muddy footpath - a behaviour that is not usually associated with this species.

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Life History of the Formosan Swift

June 14, 2014, 6:00 am
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Life History of the Formosan Swift (Borbo cinnara)


Butterfly Biodata:
Genus: Borbo Evans, 1949
Species: cinnara Wallace, 1866
Wingspan of Adult Butterfly: 30-34mm
Caterpillar Local Host Plants: Paspalum conjugatum (Poaceae; common name: Buffalo Grass), Setaria barbata (Poaceae; common name: Bristly Foxtail Grass).

A female Formosan Swift.

A male Formosan Swift.

Physical Description of Adult Butterfly:
On the upperside, the wings are brown with the basal area yellowish green. The forewing has a yellow non-hyaline spot in space 1b and a decreasing series of hyaline spots from spaces 2 to 4, 6 to 8 and two spots in the cell. In some specimens, one or both cell spots could be absent. The hindwing has a few obscure hyaline spots, and does not have any cell spot. On the underside, the wings yellowish brown with greenish scaling. The hindwing has whitish spots in spaces 2-4 and 6, where the spot in space 4 is typically small or even absent.

The upperside view of a female Formosan Swift.

The upperside view of a male Formosan Swift.

A worn specimen of a male Formosan Swift.

Field Observations of Butterfly Behaviour:
The Formosan Swift is relatively common in Singapore. Sightings are rather frequent and spread over many parts of Singapore, at locations such as nature reserves, neighbourhood parks, offshore islands, wastelands and park connectors. The swift flying adults have been observed to visit flowers and sunbath in sunny weather.




Early Stages:
Formosan Swift is known to utilize a number of grass species as larval hosts across its range of distribution in the region. Locally in Singapore, it has been observed to utilize the buffalo grass and the bristly foxtail grass as larval hosts, though it is almost certain that more can be added to the list. The caterpillars of the Formosan Swift feed on the leaves of the host plant in all instars, and live in leaf shelters constructed with silk threads securing opposite edges or a cut segment of a grass blade.

Local host plant: Setaria barbata.

A Formosan Swift laying an egg on the underside of a grass blade.

The eggs are laid singly on a leaf of the host plant, on either side of the blade. The dome-shaped egg is initially creamy white with a greenish tinge, and appears to be smooth to the naked eyes. Each egg has a basal diameter of about 1mm.

Two views of an egg of the Formosan Swift, diameter: 1mm.

It takes about 3 days for the egg to hatch. One the final day, the dark head capsule is visible through the egg shell. The young caterpillar eats just enough of the shell to emerge, and then immediately proceeds to finish the remaining egg shell (see video clip below). The newly hatched has a length of about 2mm. Its creamy white body is cylindrical in shape with a small number of very short and tiny dorso-lateral and lateral setae. There is a tuff of moderately long setae on the posterior segment. Its head is black with a black collar lying behind it on the prothorax

Left: A mature egg. Right: egg site after the newly hatched has eaten the egg shell.

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

After consuming the egg shell, the newly hatched caterpillar  constructs its first leaf shelter,  typically at the tip of the grass blade bearing the egg. The body takes on a yellowish green coloration after a few feeding sessions on the leaf. The 1st instar takes a total of 3 days to complete with body length reaching about 4.5mm.

The (very 1st) leaf shelter of a 1st instar caterpillar.

Two views of a 1st instar caterpillar, late in this stage, length: 3.2mm.

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

The body of the 2nd instar caterpillar resembles that of the first instar, but with the dark collar on the prothorax now absent. The tuff of long setae at the posterior end is replaced by much shorter peripheral setae. This instar lasts a total of 3 days with the body length reaching up to 7.5mm.

Two views of a 2nd instar caterpillar, early in this stage, length: 4.5mm.

Two views of a late 2nd instar caterpillar, dormant prior to its moult, length: 7.2mm.

The leaf shelter of a 2nd instar caterpillar of Formosan Swift.

The 3nd instar caterpillar has a pale yelowish body with a green undertone. The body bears a few narrow, faint, whitish longitudinal bands. The head capsule is still black. This instar lasts about 3 days with the body length reaching about 12.5-13.5mm.

Two views of a newly moulted 3rd instar caterpillar, length: 6.8mm.

Two views of a 3rd instar caterpillar, length: 9.8mm.

Two views of a late 3rd instar caterpillar, dormant prior to its moult, length: 12.8mm.

The 4th instar caterpillar resembles the 3rd instar caterpillar closely with somewhat more prominent whitish bands. Whilst a minority of specimens still sport a totally black head capsule, most have two whitish patches of varying extent on both sides of the head capsule (see pictures below). This instar lasts about 3-4 days with the body length reaching up to 20-22mm.

Two views of a 4th instar caterpillar, length: 11.5mm.

Two views of another 4th instar caterpillar, length: 11.5mm.

Two views of a yet another 4th instar caterpillar, later in this stage, length: 17mm.

Two views of a late 4th instar caterpillar, dormant prior to its moult, length: 21mm.

Again the change from the 4th instar to the 5th takes place on the head capsule with most specimens possessing a head dominated by two large and broad white lateral patches, with back patches lining the epicranial suture varying in thickness. In some specimens, these middle black patches are absent. The 5th instar takes about 5-6 days to complete with the body length reaching up to 36-39mm.

Two views of a 5th instar caterpillar, early in this stage, length: 22.5mm.

Two views of a 5th instar caterpillar, later in this stage, length: 33mm.

Two views of another 5th instar caterpillar, showing a variation in the head appearance.

In the last day of this instar, the body decolorises to take on a jade green coloration. The caterpillar ceases feeding and its body shortens. It finds a spot on the underside of a grass blade to be its pupation site. Here it excretes a whitish powdery substance to coat the surface, and spins short transverse silk bands at two ends to shape the pupation site into a shallow cavity. Aftering securing itself with a silk girdle and a short transverse band at its posterior end, the caterpillar becomes dormant. This prepupatory phase lasts about 1 day.

A pre-pupatory larva of the Formosan Swift secured at its pupation site.

The yellowish green pupa is secured with a cremastral attachment and the silk girdle across the wing pads. It has a short thorax, a rather long abdomen and a pointed rostrum. The body bears a few narrow whitish bands, dorsally and dorso-laterally, on its abdomen. Length of pupae: 28-29mm.

Two views of a pupa of the Formosan Swift, length:28mm

After 8 days, the pupa gradually turns black, first in the thorax and wing pads, and then in the abdomen, in the night before eclosion. The next day, the newly minted adult emerges from the pupa.

Two views of a mature pupa of the Formosan Swift.

A newly eclosed male Formosan Swift.

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 Koh Cher Hern, Federick Ho, Khew SK and Horace Tan
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Butterflies Galore! : Lesser Darkwing

June 18, 2014, 6:25 pm
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Butterflies Galore!
The Lesser Darkwing (Allotinus unicolor unicolor)



This Miletinae appears to be the only species of the genus Allotinus left extant in Singapore, although several other species were recorded by the early authors. Thus far, we have not been able to reliably ascertain if the other species are still lurking around in our forests, except for this Lesser Darkwing. As the "carnivorous" caterpillars of this species feed on coccids, aphids and mealy bugs, they are not associated with any particular host plant and hence can be very widely distributed where their caterpillar food source is available.

This Lesser Darkwing was shot by ButterflyCircle member Loke PF. The butterfly shows its typical perching pose, its long legs lifting the butterfly up from its perch in a proud stance. Its forelegs are usually folded against its thorax, giving the perception that the butterfly has got only 4 legs, rather than 6!

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Butterfly of the Month - June 2014

June 21, 2014, 4:52 am
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Butterfly of the Month - June 2014
The Burmese Lascar (Lasippa heliodore dorelia)



We head towards the mid-year mark of the year 2014, as the month of June draws to a close in a week's time. The weather here in Singapore remains hot and humid, as the intermonsoon period gives way to the stronger south-westerly winds coming from Sumatra. There were a few days when the full force of the "Sumatras" bore down on our little island. The "Sumatras" are line of thunderstorms which usually occur during the Southwest Monsoon season from May to October each year. These squalls develop at night over Sumatra and move eastwards towards Singapore in the pre-dawn and early morning hours. They are often characterised by sudden onset of strong gusty surface winds and heavy rain lasting from 1 to 2 hours, often uprooting trees and causing some damage.



The predicted dry effects of this year's El Nino has not showed its full force yet, but the hot and dry weather patterns are beginning to show, with a number of days of temperatures exceeding 34deg C. From a personal perspective, June has been an interesting month for me, as I travelled to Myanmar for a short business trip. Officially known as the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the 676,578 sqkm country is one of the 10 countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). Myanmar also shares its border with five countries - India, Bangladesh, China, Laos and Thailand, besides having a long coastline stretching from the Indian Ocean to the Andaman Sea.



I was looking forward to re-visit Myanmar after my last trip over ten years ago in 2003. Back then, it was governed by the military junta and moving around the-then capital city of Yangon (Rangoon) was rather restricted. Upon reaching Yangon International airport, I was pleasantly surprised to clear the immigration with little fuss nor delays. My first impression of the city, was that there were a lot more cars today than when I visited Yangon over ten years ago. The armed military personnel, who were very visible at practically every street corner then, was markedly missing now. Myanmar also has a very unique traffic arrangement where the cars are right-hand drive (like in Singapore) but they drive on the right side of the road (as they do in the USA)!


The majestic Shwedagon Pagoda is an iconic structure in Yangon

Yangon was bustling with life, as the people went about their daily lives and there was a perceptible buzz in the city. An obvious difference was that my Singapore mobile phone worked without a hitch - foreign mobile phones were almost "illegal" to carry around ten years ago!


Interior of one of the ancillary temples flanking the Shwedagon Pagoda

After dealing with the business end of my trip, our entourage paid a visit to the Shwedagon Pagoda complex. A visit to Yangon would certainly not be complete without a trip to view the Golden Pagoda, as the Shwedagon Pagoda is sometimes referred to.


A view of some of the terracotta temples and stupas in Bagan

We then flew about 400km north to the ancient city of Bagan (formerly Pagan), about a 90-minute flight time on a turboprop ATR 72-600 domestic flight. This is the first time I had boarded a flight without having any form of ID check. Hence everyone on the plane was flying "incognito" as there would not have been any record of who was on the flight at all!


Our "wings" to Bagan.  Ever heard of Yadanarpon Airways?

Perhaps domestic flights in Myanmar remains in an era of "innocence" as far as aviation security is concerned, and bringing a bottle of mineral water on board the plane is not something that travellers would need to be worried about! On our flight back to Yangon, we were even more surprised when the check-in personnel told us that "you may sit anywhere you like!", since there were no seat numbers on our boarding passes.


An evening view across a landscape of temples and pagodas in Bagan

Bagan is situated in the middle of Myanmar, largely on the banks of the Ayeyarwardy (Irrawaddy) River and was the capital of the kingdom of Pagan from the 9th to 13th centuries, the first kingdom to unify the regions that would later constitute modern Myanmar. The obvious draw of Bagan would be its historical and archaeological monuments amongst its 4,440 ancient monuments, amongst which were many temples, pagodas/stupas, mediation caves and other structures dotting the landscape covering about 20 sq miles. It was amazing, standing amongst these architectural wonders, constructed in an era over a thousand years ago, that had few or no machines in the building industry.


A well-preserved terracotta stupa in Bagan

Myanmar is still very safe for tourists, as we were told that crime is very low, and our experience in the two cities that we visited corroborated that view. The locals were friendly and spoke reasonably good English.  Every tourist attraction, whether a temple, pagoda or the local marketplace that we visited, came with its attendant bunch of "salesmen" who peddled a range of postcards, souvenirs, gemstones and local garments.  I must say that their persistence to persuade our entourage to part with our money would certainly be something useful for any sales personnel in our modern world!



It was a pity that I did not get to visit any nature areas to check out Myanmar's butterflies, but obviously the unspoilt environment and vast tracts of lushly forested land would no doubt harbour a range of butterfly species that would hold any butterfly enthusiast in awe. This ends my short introduction to my visit to Myanmar and I look forward to visiting the country again, and saying "Mingalaba" (Hello) to my Myanmese friends again.



All the stories about Myanmar would not have done justice to such a beautiful country, if I did not feature something about Burma amongst our butterflies. So we introduce our Butterfly of the Month for June 2014 - the Burmese Lascar (Lasippa heliodore dorelia). It is a noteworthy observation that several English common names of butterflies in the region carry the "Burmese" prefix. Perhaps some of the early collectors were active in Burma in those days.



The Burmese Lascar is one of four extant "Lascars" found in Singapore that feature small-sized butterflies with black and orange bands across their wings. The four species are very similar in appearance and almost impossible to identify when in flight. All are weak flyers, but skittish and will quickly fly up to the tree canopy if disturbed. Most prefer the sanctuary of Singapore's forested nature reserves but can sometimes be observed in public parks and gardens




Top : ID Key to separate the Burmese Lascar from the Malayan Lascar.
Middle : Burmese Lascar (Lasippa heliodore dorelia)
Bottom : Malayan Lascar (Lasippa tiga siaka)  

The Burmese Lascar is very similar in appearance to its close relative, the Malayan Lascar (Lasippa tiga siaka). The primary distinguishing feature to separate the two species is the submarginal spot in space 3 of the forewing. In the Burmese Lascar, this spot is barely wider than the two adjacent spots in spaces 2 and 4, whilst in the Malayan Lascar, this spot is much wider than the two adjacent spots.


A Burmese Lascar stops to puddle on a sweat-soaked camera strap

The Burmese Lascar is relatively uncommon and prefers the forested areas within the nature reserves. It is sometimes seen feeding on the ripened fruits of the Singapore Rhododendron (Melastoma malabathricum). Individuals are often encountered gliding and sunbathing along sunlit footpaths in heavily forested areas. Males of the species are also observed to puddle at footpaths and sandy streambanks occasionally.


A Burmese Lascar puddles at a muddy footpath

The underside of the Burmese Lascar is paler but resembles the upperside black and orange bands. The early stages of the species has been documented in Singapore, where the caterpillars feed on Rourea minor, rourea aspenifolia and Cnestis palala.



Text by Khew SK : Photos by Sunny Chir, Khew SK, Loke PF, Nelson Ong & Horace Tan


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Butterflies Galore! : Brown Awl

June 23, 2014, 6:16 pm
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Butterflies Galore!
The Brown Awl (Badamia exclamationis)



I've always been intrigued by the latin species name of this Skipper. It's as though the scientist who first described it screamed out loud when he first saw this butterfly. This medium sized Hesperiidae is moderately rare in Singapore, usually observed singly in the early hours of the morning. It has also been observed to puddle occasionally, but where it is encountered, it is more often seen feeding on moisture off damp rocks, stone walls and timber structures in the early morning hours.

It is a fast flyer and is usually skittish. When disturbed, it flies off and hides on the underside of a leaf to try to conceal itself. The butterfly is medium brown on the upperside, with an elongate white hyaline streaks in the cell. The underside, shown here, is a pale greyish brown and unmarked. The abdomen of the butterfly is yellow-striped. This shot was taken by young ButterflyCircle member Jonathan Soong.

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Butterflies Galore! : Club Silverline

June 25, 2014, 6:54 am
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Butterflies Galore!
The Club Silverline (Spindasis syama terana)



This pretty little Lycaenid is one of two species of the genus Spindasis to occur in Singapore. In certain localities, the Club Silverline and its cousin, the Long Banded Silverline (Spindasis lohita senama) can occasionally be found in numbers, and would be considered moderately common. The Silverlines are so named because of the silvery markings on the undersides of the wings, framed by reddish brown or black streaks.

The Club Silverline is a fast-flyer but can often be encountered feeding at flowering plants, like this one is shown, feeding on the flower of the Bandicoot Cherry (Leea indica) at an urban park in Singapore. At certain hours of the day, the butterfly can be observed to open its wings to sunbathe in the sunshine, displaying its beautiful deep blue uppersides.

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Butterflies Galore! : Blue Pansy

June 26, 2014, 8:50 pm
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Butterflies Galore!
The Blue Pansy (Junonia orithya wallacei)



The Blue Pansy (Junonia orithya wallacei) is one of four species in the genus that is found in Singapore. The species is a fast flyer and is often very skittish. The males feature an attractive upperside with bright blue hindwings. The species is common in urban parks & gardens and is usually active on hot sunny days. The local subspecies found in Malaysia and Singapore has the distinction of being named after the renowned ecologist and adventurer, Alfred Russell Wallace.

The underside of the Blue Pansy is more cryptic, and allows it to camouflage itself amongst dried leaves and undergrowth, when it is at rest with its wings folded upright. Here, it was photographed feeding on a Lantana flower at Tampines Eco Green.

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Life History of the Fivebar Swordtail v2.0

June 28, 2014, 6:00 am
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Life History of the Fivebar Swordtail (Graphium antiphates itamputi)
An earlier version of the life history of the Fivebar Swordtail can be found by clicking this link.


Butterfly Biodata:
Genus: Graphium Scopoli, 1777
Species: antiphates Cramer, 1775
Subspecies: itamputi Butler, 1885
Wingspan of Adult Butterfly: 55-70mm
Local Caterpillar Host Plant: Uvaria grandiflora (Annonaceae).




Physical Description of Adult Butterfly:
The Fivebar Swordtail has a long and sword-like tail at vein 4 on the hindwing. On the upperside, the wings are white with a series of black stripes extending from the costa of the forewing. In the distal and basal areas, the inter-stripe space is yellowish green. The tornal area is greyish on the hindwing. On the underside, the forewing is marked as above, but the hindwing has its basal half green with black stripes and spots, and its distal half yellowish orange with small embedded black spots. The body is white in ground colour and yellowish orange dorso-laterally. There is also a lateral band of black spots, contiguous for most segments.




Field Observations of Butterfly Behaviour:
The Fivebar Swordtail is moderately common in Singapore. It is essentialy a forest denizen. The adults are strong and swift flyers. When in flight, they can easily be mistaken as white Pierid butterflies. The adults have been observed to visit flowers for nectar. The male is usually photographed puddling on damp ground in the nature reserve.





Early Stages:
With its wide distribution in the region outside Singapore, early stages of the Fivebar Swordtail have been documented earlier, and its several host plants in the Annonaceae family have been identified by researchers and enthusiasts. In Singapore, the early stages of the Fivebar Swordtail have been found to feed on Uvaria grandiflora, a plant in the Annonaceae family. Eggs and caterpillars of the Fivebar Swordtail are typically found on young and maturing leaves of this host at low heights. The caterpillar feeds on these young and maturing leaves of the host plant. In all instars, the Fivebar Swordtail caterpillar possesses osmeterium (a forked fleshy organ) in the prothorax. Usually hidden, the pale greenish osmeterium can be everted rapidly and emit a foul-smelling secretion when the caterpillar is disturbed physically.

Local host plant, Uvaria grandiflora.

The eggs of the Fivebar Swordtail are laid singly on young leaves of the host plant, typically on the upperside. Repeated oviposition visits could result in two or more eggs being observed on the same leaf. The spherical egg is initially creamy white with a diameter of about 1.0-1.1mm. As it matures, it gradually turns pale yellow.

Eggs laid on young leaves of Uvaria grandiflora in a nature park.

Two views of an egg of the Fivebar Swordtail.

Two views of a mature egg of the Fivebar Swordtail. Note the outline of the head capsule and the mandibles which are now visible through the egg shell.

Three views of a newly hatched Fivebar Swordtail nibbling away the remnant of the egg shell.

The egg takes about 3 days to hatch, and the newly hatched has a body length of about 2.2-2.3mm. The entire egg shell is consumed by the newly hatched as its first meal. The body has a white ground colour and bearing segmental rings which are initially pale greyish green but turning dark green to black gradually and this happens even as the egg shell is being consumed. A pair of whitish lateral spines can be found on each of the three thoracic segments, and another whitish pair at the anal segment. These spines bear tuffs of dark setae. The body also features rows of moderately long dorsal-lateral setae with forked-tips. The head capsule is yellowish brown.

Two views of a Fivebar Swordtail caterpillar, early in this stage, length: 3mm.

Two views of a 1st instar caterpillar, length: 4.2mm.

A 1st instar caterpillar of the Fivebar Swordtail sighted in the field.

Between feeds, the Fivebar Swordtail caterpillar of all instars rests on the upper leaf surface, usually alongside the midrib. After about 2-2.5 days of feeding, the 1st instar caterpillar grows to a length of about 5.5mm. The moult to the 2nd instar takes place after a period of inactivity.

Two views of a late 1st instar caterpillar, dormant prior to its moult, length: 4.9mm.

A newly moulted 2nd instar caterpillar.

In the 2nd instar, unlike other Graphium spp. (such as the Common Jay and Common Bluebottle), the thoracic segments are only slightly more enlarged from the 2nd to 3rd segment. The head capsule has changed colour to yellowish orange. The dark segmental rings are narrower and additional transverse yellowish rings appear. The body setae are short and whitish, and are no longer forked at the tip. This instar lasts for about days, and has the body length increased up to about 8-8.5mm.

Two views of a 2nd instar Fivebar Swordtail caterpillar, early in this stage, length: 6.75mm.

Two views of a 2nd instar Fivebar Swordtail caterpillar, length: 7.3mm.

A 2nd instar Fivebar Swordtail caterpillar observed in a nature park.

The 3rd instar caterpillar resembles the 2nd instar caterpillar mostly, but has the three thoracic pairs of spines turning all black and more pointed. Some specimens has lesser extent of yellowish coloration, and some appear pale greenish. In about 2-2.5 days, the caterpillar grows to about 14-17mm in length before the moult to the 4th instar takes place.

Two views of a 3rd instar caterpillar, early in this stage, length: 10mm.

Two views of a 3rd instar caterpillar, length: 12mm.

The body of the 4th instar caterpillar come in two colour forms: green or brown. The green form is mainly white-based with touches of green or yellow. The brown form is essentially yellowish-brown-based in contrast. As growth progresses in this instar, the dark segmental rings become more diffused and less prominent. The dorsum of the thorax also becomes more greenish in both colour forms. Laterally, there is a green or pale brown band passing through the spiracles. This instar lasts about 2.5-3 days with the body length reaching about 23.5-25.5mm.

Two views of an early 4th instar caterpillar, green form, length: 14.5mm.

Two views of an early 4th instar caterpillar, brown form, length: 15.5mm.

Two views of a late 4th instar caterpillar, green form, dormant prior to its moult, length: 23.5mm.

Two views of a late 4th instar caterpillar, brown form, dormant prior to its moult, length: 25.5mm.

The 5th instar caterpillar resembles the late 4th instar caterpillar initially, but with all three pairs of spines much reduced in size. The reduction is most extreme in the prothoracic pair which is now minuscule and also decolorized to the body base colour. There is a blue circular patch at the base of each of the mesothoracic and metathoric pairs of spines.

Two views of a 5th instar caterpillar, early in this stage, green form, length: 27mm.

Two views of a 5th instar caterpillar, early in this stage, brown form, length: 27mm.

A green form 5th instar Fivebar Swordtail caterpillar found in the field.

A green form early 5th instar Fivebar Swordtail caterpillar found in the field assuming an alert stance.

As growth progresses in the 5th and final instar, the caterpillar loses the segmental ring markings. Instead, diffuse greenish dorsal bands and oblique lateral stripes adorn the body surface which also bears numerous, tiny, whitish specks. Some specimens are more pinky in colour tone whilst others more greenish. In rare cases, the colour tone could be brownish instead. The dorsum of the meso- and metathorax becomes dominated by large greenish patches. The 5th instar lasts for 5-7 days, and the body length reaches 43-47mm.

Two views of a 5th instar caterpillar, with pinky body colour tone, length: 41mm.

Two views of a 5th instar caterpillar, with greenish body colour tone, length: 43mm.

A late green form 5th instar caterpillar observed in a nature park.

Toward the end of the 5th instar, the body gradually shortens in length and turns golden yellow. The caterpillar wanders around for a pupation site and eventually comes to rest on the underside of a stem. Here the caterpillar prepares and secures itself with a a silk pad and a silk girdle.

Two views of a late 5th instar Fivebar Swordtail caterpillar, still mobile and seeking a pupation site.

Two views of a pre-pupatory larva of the Fivebar Swordtail.

Pupation takes place a day later. The pupa is pale lime green, about 27-28mm in length and has a short and obtusely pointed mesothoracic horn. The abdomen has two dorsal carinae which are pale brownish and run dorso-laterally and continuously to the tip of the mesothoracic horn. Reddish brown bands and stripes run from mesothoracic horn to the anterior segment and laterally back along the edge of the wing case.

A Fivebar Swordtail caterpillar moulting to its pupal stage. [Change to HD or 4k video setting for best view quality.]

Two views of a pupa of the Fivebar Swordtail.

A fresh pupa of the Fivebar Swordtail observed in the field.

The pupal period lasts for 11-12 days, and the pupa turns black in the wing pads the night before eclosion. The whitish green markings on the forewings are visible through the pupal skin at this stage. The adult butterfly emerges the next day to commence the adult phase of its life cycle. It is noteworthy that some pupae of Fivebar Swordtail could lie dormant for a much longer period of a few months before eclosion. This has been observed in home breeding settings in Malaysia by L C Goh and locally in Singapore by H Tan.

Two views of a mature pupa of the Fivebar Swordtail.


The eclosion event of a Fivebar Swordtail butterfly. [Change to HD or 4k video setting for best view quality.]

A newly eclosed Fivebar Swordtail resting on 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.
  • A photographic monograph on Hong Kong Butterflies, vol.2, Hong Kong Lepidopterists Society, 2007.
Text by Horace Tan, Photos by Jonathan Soong, Bobby Mun, Mark Wong, Anthony Wong, Nelson Ong, Loke PF, Simon Sng, Sunny Chir, Khew SK and Horace Tan

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Butterflies Galore! : Peacock Royal

July 1, 2014, 5:56 pm
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Butterflies Galore!
The Peacock Royal (Tajuria cippus maxentius)



The Peacock Royal is more often spotted in urban parks and gardens than in the forested areas in Singapore. This may be because its caterpillar host plant, the parasitic plant Dendrophthoe pentandra, which it shares with the Painted Jezebel and Green Baron, grows rather commonly in secondary and planted greenery in urban areas. It is often observed feeding on flowers of the Ixora and other garden plants.

The Peacock Royal is moderately common, and where it is found, several individuals can often be seen together. The upperside of the male features a beautiful royal blue with jet black apical borders. This shot, taken by ButterflyCircle member Loke PF, shows a male Peacock Royal perched on the flower of a Calliandra bush (often called the Powderpuff flower).

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Butterflies Galore! : Mottled Emigrant

July 3, 2014, 7:27 am
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Butterflies Galore!
The Mottled Emigrant (Catopsilia pyranthe pyranthe)



The fast-flying Pieridae is considered common in Singapore. It is regularly seen in urban parks and gardens, particularly where its caterpillar host plant, the Seven Golden Candlesticks (Senna alata) is grown. Wherever there is a healthy bush of the plant, one can often encounter the egg-laying females of the Mottled Emigrant flying around. The life history has been recorded on this blog here. The caterpillar stage of the Mottled Emigrant is short, compared to many other species, with the 1st to 5th instars taking a total of only about 10-11 days.

This shot of a Mottled Emigrant was taken when it was feeding on the flower of Bidens pilosa, a common wildflower. The butterfly has a strong flight, and is not easy to shoot, except when it stops momentarily at a flower to feed.

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Favourite Nectaring Plants #4

July 5, 2014, 3:41 am
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Butterflies' Favourite Nectaring Plants
The Bandicoot Berry (Leea indica)


The Plane (Bindahara phocides phocides) feeding on the flower of a Bandicoot Berry

Continuing our series of butterfly-attracting nectaring plants, we feature in this fourth article, the Bandicoot Berry (Leea indica). This predominantly green and unassuming bush, which usually grows up to 3-4 metres in height, is another local "butterfly magnet", commonly found in Singapore's forests, and more recently, cultivated in our urban parks and gardens.


A Common Four Ring (Ypthima huebneri) on the flower of a Bandicoot Berry

From herbarium records, there are four species of Leea in Singapore - L. aequata, L.indica, L. rubra/guineensis and L. angulata. Thus far, only L. indica and L. rubra have recently been cultivated as part of the urban greenery in parks, natureways, gardens and park-connectors in an effort to enhance urban biodiversity in Singapore by the National Parks Board. The flowers of the plants provide nectar for butterflies, bees and wasps, whilst the ripened fruits are food for birds.



Plant Biodata :
Family : Vitaceae/Leeaceae
Genus :Leea
Species :indica
Country of Origin : Tropical Asia
English Common Name : Bandicoot Berry
Other Local Names : Common Tree Vine, 火筒树


The inflorescence of the Bandicoot Berry.  Can you spot the Striped Albatross?

The Bandicoot Berry is widespread throughout Singapore, and in the forested nature reserves, it appears as a common undergrowth shrub along disturbed areas and footpaths. It occurs in various habitats from deep forested areas to backmangroves and more recently, as planting material in urban parks and gardens.


A lush and healthy bush of the Bandicoot Berry at Tampines Eco Green

The plant occurs as a small shrub or treelet, ranging from 2m to as high as 4m, although there are specimens that may grow much taller. It is single-stemmed, though multi-stemmed shrubs are are also commonly encountered, whilst the stems are smooth and not thorned.


Young leaves and mature leaf of the Bandicoot Berry

The leaves are 2-3 pinnate, bearing between 5-7 leaflets per pinna. Each leaflet is ovate-lanceolate, growing up to 24cm in length and up to 9 cm wide. The young shoots of the plant are often reddish-pink when they emerge, turning yellow-green and then to the final dark green as they mature.



The flowers, which are attractive to butterflies, bees and wasps, are small and insignificant, greenish white, and only about 5mm in diameter. The inflorescence range between 5-25 cm across, with these small greenish white flowers spread across the inflorescence. There is no perceptible smell (to us humans) from the flowers, and the plant does not appear to use bright colours nor strong fragrance to attract its pollinators, unlike other species of flowering plants.


Butterflies and bees feeding on the flowers of the Bandicoot Berry. How many can you spot?

However, despite having rather inconspicuous flowers, the Bandicoot Berry flowers appear to be very attractive to butterflies and other insects like bees and wasps. Interestingly, despite the small size of the flowers, we have observed that the flowers are not visited by only small-sized butterflies. Butterflies like the larger Papilionidae and Danainae also feed on the diminutive flowers.


The fruits of the Bandicoot Berry

The unripened fruits of the Bandicoot Berry are apple-green and measure up to about 10mm in diameter, turning a purplish black when ripe. The fruits are attractive to birds, which are probably the main vector for the dispersal of the plants across the island.



The Bandicoot Berry is also considered a herbal plant in many Asian cultures, and has many medicinal uses, particularly in India and Sri Lanka. Herbal practitioners consider it as a natural coolant that gives a “cooling effect” to the body. Many tribal communities have been using Leea indica for treatment of diarrhoeal diseases. It is also used in cases of chronic dysentery. Other medicinal uses include skin problems, gastric ulcers, vertigo and digestive ailments. It is also believed that a paste of Leea indica roots, if applied on the affected portion of the skin gives relief from skin issues like rashes and allergic reactions.





A variety of Hesperiidae species feeding on the flowers of the Bandicoot Berry

Butterflies are attracted to the small greenish white flowers of the Bandicoot Berry. In the forested nature reserves where they usually grow in the shade of taller trees around, Hesperiidae, or skippers, are often found on the inflorescence of the plant. In certain areas, the forest-dependent skipper, Yellow Vein Lancer (Pyroneura latoia latoia) is a frequent visitor to Bandicoot Berry bushes, often in the company of other skippers like the Starry Bob, Chestnut Bob and Common Snow Flat.





Lycaenidae galore on the Bandicoot Berry's flowers

Many species of the Hairstreaks (Lycaenidae) species are also found on the Bandicoot Berry flowers, with many of them feeding greedily on the flowers and staying for long periods of time on the flowers. Despite the small size of the flowers, they must contain a relatively significant amount of nectar to be so attractive to these butterflies.




Even larger butterflies are attracted to the tiny flowers of the plant!

Contrary to the theory that only small butterflies will visit small flowers to feed, the small 5mm flowers are also surprisingly attractive to the larger species of butterflies like the Spotted Black Crow, Blue and Dark Glassy Tigers, Common Bluebottle and many other Nymphalidaes. The range of species that is attracted to the flowers of this plant is quite amazing! This does suggest that the structure of the flower and the nectar available has evolved in such a way that it is able to accommodate the thicker (and longer) proboscis and also larger appetites of larger butterflies.


A stipule from which the young leaves of the plant emerge

Besides the flowers of the Bandicoot Berry, the young shoots and the stipules of the plant appear to secrete some sort of sugary fluid that is also attractive to some species of Lycaenidae. The stems of the young plant appear to be coated with an invisible and odourless substance that attract these butterflies to feed.


A Common Posy feeds on the secretions of a young shoot of the plant

We have observed certain species like the Branded Imperial, Common Posy, Dark Posy and Pygmy Posy feeding for long periods of time on the young shoots of the plant, often staying very still if undisturbed. Ants are also attracted to the young shoots and stipules, probably also going after the same sweet substance that attract the butterflies.


A Pygmy Posy feeds on the secretions of a young shoot of the plant

More recently, the Bandicoot Berry has been added to the palette of horticultural material to be cultivated in urban parks and gardens. This is part of NParks wider strategy of planting to enhance our urban biodiversity and to rejuvenate our urban environment with more "life" - with greenery that provides food for birds, butterflies and other creatures that share our island with us.



Hence, besides our forests, where the Bandicoot Berry can be found naturally, our urban parks and gardens also feature this butterfly-attracting plant and nature enthusiasts will be able to spot many butterflies on the flowers. Locations where this plant can be found include Tampines Eco Green, Gardens by the Bay (Meadow area), various park connectors and NatureWays.



So the next time you are out in our forested nature reserves or our urban parks and gardens in Singapore, do look out for the Bandicoot Berry bushes and their flowers, and you may be rewarded by some butterflies that are sitting pretty on the flowers and allowing you to take a selfie with them!

Text by Khew SK : Photos by Khew SK, Jonathan Soong, Horace Tan & Mark Wong

Further Reading and References :




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Butterflies Galore! : Conjoined Swift

July 6, 2014, 5:00 pm
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Butterflies Galore!
The Conjoined Swift (Pelopidas conjunctus conjunctus)



The medium sized skipper was a new discovery for Singapore when it was first recorded some time back from Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. It is fast-flying, like most skippers and zips around rapidly when feeding at flowers. It has pale yellowish-white hyaline spots on the forewings and a distinctive spot at space 1b of the forewing. The two cell spots on the forewing above are separated.

This large individual was shot last weekend at the newly opened Jurong Eco Garden near the Nanyang Technological University (NTU). It was moving quickly around the Ixora flowers extending its long proboscis as if it were fly-fishing, and each time accurately hitting the mark to feed on the nectar from the flowers.

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Butterflies Galore! : Chestnut Bob

July 9, 2014, 8:27 am
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Butterflies Galore!
The Chestnut Bob (Iambrix salsala salsala)



The Chestnut Bob is a skipper that is widespread in distribution around Singapore. As one of its caterpillar host plants is the ubiquitous "Cow Grass" (Axonopus compressus) that is the main species of grass planted along road verges, school fields and urban garden spaces in Singapore, the butterfly is common. The shot above, taken by ButterflyCircle member Loke PF, features an aberrant Chestnut Bob, which lacks the usual white spots on its wings. Aberrations occur occasionally in some species of butterflies where the markings on the wings are atypical of a standard example of the species.



The shot above shows a typical Chestnut Bob with its usual complement of white spots on both the fore and hindwings, and darker brown patches at the post-discal area of the hindwing. It is not known for certain what processes during the early stages of the butterfly cause the aberration.

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