Last year, around this season of the Northeast monsoon, we had a pretty visitor from the west – the Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui).  It was therefore not surprising that this year, ButterflyCircle members again encountered and photographed a similar species at around the same location where the Painted Lady was seen last year.  But upon closer observation, the exotic visitor was found to be the Indian Red Admiral (Vanessa indica indica) – another close relative of the Painted Lady.

The individual stayed for a few days and was successfully photographed by other ButterflyCircle members at the same location where it was first seen.  How and where it came from, we can only guess.  But the colourful and intricate Indian Red Admiral is a new addition to the butterfly biodiversity of Singapore, which is indeed becoming more cosmopolitan! 

ButterflyCircle takes this opportunity to wish all members and visitors to the website a HAPPY & PROSPEROUS 2009!

The Fulvous Pied Flat (Pseudocoladenia dan dhyana) was a species that was a new discovery for Singapore.  In the early authors checklists, this species was not recorded as extant in Singapore.  How this skipper came to Singapore is anyone’s guess.  It could have been here all along, but missed by the collectors, or perhaps it could have been imported together with its host plant into Singapore. Whatever it is, the Fulvous Pied Flat is now part of the butterfly fauna of Singapore.  Though comparatively rare, the butterfly has regularly been observed on the edges of the nature reserves of Singapore, in locations where its host plant grows in abundance.

In this article, Horace Tan shares his experience documenting the early stages of the Fulvous Pied Flat.  Read all about it at the Butterflies of Singapore BLOG.