Phuket buttefly garden

[Bluebottle]

The weather in Phuket was hot and sunny during my four days stay. During one of the outing, I asked the driver to do a pit stop at Phuket butterfly garden. But it was not easy to shot butterfly in the enclosure with so many tourists. It also did not help when the family members run out of interest after an hour or so ;P

Anyway, I managed to meet the Julia Heliconian (Dryas iulia)
http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq342/pfloke/Butterfly/July12/IMG_1469rJuliaHeliconianDryasiulia.jpg?t=135687656 8
http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq342/pfloke/Butterfly/July12/IMG_1493r.jpg?t=1356876525
http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq342/pfloke/Butterfly/July12/IMG_1492r.jpg?t=1356876040
http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq342/pfloke/Butterfly/July12/IMG_1473r.jpg?t=1356876569

And this fella seems to be blowing bubble:hmmm:
http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq342/pfloke/Butterfly/July12/IMG_1551rDryasJulia.jpg?t=1356878283

Host plan: Passiflora foetida (Stinking Passionfruit)?
http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq342/pfloke/Butterfly/July12/IMG_2061.jpg?t=1356876058

[Bluebottle]

Hebomoia glaucippe aturia (Great Orange Tip)
http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq342/pfloke/Butterfly/July12/IMG_1502.jpg?t=1356876032

Elymnias hypermnestra agina (Common Palmfly)?? It looks slightly different though
http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq342/pfloke/Butterfly/July12/IMG_1530Elymnias.jpg?t=1356876055

Hypolimnus ?
http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq342/pfloke/Butterfly/July12/IMG_1480rHypolimnus.jpg?t=1356876040
http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq342/pfloke/Butterfly/July12/IMG_1512.jpg?t=1356876056
http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq342/pfloke/Butterfly/July12/IMG_1478.jpg?t=1356876030

http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq342/pfloke/Butterfly/July12/IMG_1510r.jpg?t=1356876047


There were a few birdwings, great mormon, lacewing, tawny coaster in the garden also.

[Blue Jay]

Here is one of my P&S shot taken a year ago. Shows a Peacock Pansy, also blowing bubble. :hmmm: :hmmm: :hmmm:

[Commander]

Good shots, Loke. I'm sure if you had more time, you would have nailed even better shots. The species diversity is about the same as the time when I was there. Looks like D iulia is breeding very easily.

The Palmfly is the northern subspecies and the upperside is a mimic of the Plain Tiger, with large orange patches.

Did you see the Clippers as well?

My earlier blog post on Phuket some years back. http://butterflycircle.blogspot.sg/2010/01/paradisical-phuket.html

[Bluebottle]

Yap, there was a Clipper but it was not in good condition. No Leaf Butterfly though.

[bluefin]

A beautiful series of pics, Loke. :cheers:

[WillFolsom]

Loke: Looks like you had good fun in the short period of time your family gave you! The Julia is commonly found down in Florida and I've enjoying photographing it in the wild. It apparently breeds well and is frequently found in butterfly houses in the USA. William

[Bluebottle]

A beautiful series of pics, Loke. :cheers:
Thanks Nelson



Loke: Looks like you had good fun in the short period of time your family gave you! The Julia is commonly found down in Florida and I've enjoying photographing it in the wild. It apparently breeds well and is frequently found in butterfly houses in the USA. William
Thanks William. Yes it is a non native species but has established itself in Thailand. The host plant is commonly found in Malaysia and Singapore and Julia may land in Singapore one day :)