Kaeng Krachan NP., Thailand - 26/27 January 2014

[Painted Jezebel]

Antonio and I took a short trip to Kaeng Krachan for a bit of R&R off the Islands.

Unfortunately, I think we were a couple of weeks too early as butterfly numbers were low, certainly when compared to our trip there last year. However, it was not without incedent for me. I was to meet up with Antonio, who was coming down from Bangkok, so I took the train up to Phetchaburi. Unfortunately, within 15 minutes we had a train crash when we ran over a truck carrying oil palm fruit (my first +1), and the truck was stuck under the train. Fortunately no-one was hurt. Then, Antonio dropped me off at Suratthani Railway station to pick up my motorbike on the way back and I had a flat front tyre. Finally, I now have a bad cold!

I was not certain I had any +1s from this trip, but it appears I did manage three.

1) Odina decorata (Zig-Zag Flat)
2) Scobura isota (Swinhoe's Forest Bob)
3) Miletus ancon (Divided Brownie) - I think!

[Psyche]

It certainly matched the female M. ancon very well.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...nFUpUnRDK1.jpg

TL Seow:Cheers.

[Peacock Royal]

The Zig-Zag Flat is nice.

[Glorious Begum]

wah.. the Zig-Zag Flat is beautiful.

[bluefin]

Agree with Fed, & LC.

The ZZ is nice.

[Painted Jezebel]

Some Polyommatinae that I have a few problems with.

1 & 2) The were plenty of Acytolepis puspa and Celatoxia marginata puddling. The problem is ensuring getting upper and undersides of the same specimen, and I failed. These two photos were, I thought, both C. marginata, but I notice that the hindwing borders are completely different.
3) Is this Nacaduba beroe? The dark basal area suggests it but is it sufficient?
4) Is this Udara placidula? -CORRECTION - U. dilecta.
5) Prosotas pia? The marginal markings appear to be sufficiently obscure.

[Psyche]

Post 6.

1 & 2. Both are C. marginata.
A good point to note is the distinctive shape of the FW white patch. This is because the FW cell is blue.

3. It is N. beroe though not ssp neon.
The darkeniing is sufficient to render the basal white striae on both wings brownish.

4. HW spot 7 is no darker than the rest. .Udara dilecta.
In U. placidula HW spot 7 is slightly larger, distinctly black ;ground colour dingier grey so spots are faintly white-lined.

5. A difficult one . I think it is just P. nora.
Fleming states spot below the FW midcell band reduced for P. pia (but not always).

TL Seow

[Banded Yeoman]

The zig zag flat.

Sorry to hear about the negatively eventful trip.
I hop you found it to be worth all the trouble!

[Painted Jezebel]

Thank you, Seow, for the corrections.

The problem for me was that the d.s.f. of Acytolepis puspa gisca appears to show the same markings.

The N. beroe ssp. is ssp. gythion.

[Psyche]

Thank you, Seow, for the corrections.

The problem for me was that the d.s.f. of Acytolepis puspa gisca appears to show the same markings.

The N. beroe ssp. is ssp. gythion.

I have thought I got it right, but now that you mentioned dsf, I realised I am wrong.
The white patch does varies in A. puspa gisca.
These are correct uppers of A. puspa gisca from Thailand (with underside verification.)

http://www.lycaenidae.gmxhome.de/Lyc...uspagisca1.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7457894@N04/8625689994


These are pix of Celatoxia marginata marginata.
The veins across the FW white patch are more distinctly darkened.
The FW black border is very broad.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...aMFUpUnAC1.jpg
http://image.digitalarchives.tw/Imag...0/56/07/4b.jpg


Based on these images I would think both are A. puspa gisca, though it is tempting to suggest the darker one with wider HW border is C. marginata.

TL Seow
PS. On 2nd thought, it more lightly the 2nd pic is C. marginata, as the veins are more distinctly dark & there is is no reason why the HW border will differ unless there are two species here..
The darker blue colouration also strongly indicate the 2nd is a different species. (& conforms with the darker colour of Celatoxia.)
The Malayan ssp splendens have narow borders.
PS2. In fact I am now very certain 1 is A. puspa & 2 is C. marginata.