Spa 23 03 12

[MinuteMaid]

Went to the spa again today at RR.

On the way in, a female archduke feeding on a fallen flower.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8104/8581327957_033569b3c9.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lemonteayk/8581327957/)
The Archduke (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lemonteayk/8581327957/) by LemonTeaYK (http://www.flickr.com/people/lemonteayk/), on Flickr

this is interesting, as i've not seen archdukes feeding on flowers before. here's a close up on what it was feeding. the floor was littered with these and they don't look rotten - perhaps it was after the nectar inside.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8375/8581353301_04fd93c802.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lemonteayk/8581353301/)
flower (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lemonteayk/8581353301/) by LemonTeaYK (http://www.flickr.com/people/lemonteayk/), on Flickr

an underside shot of another female archduke.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8511/8582428244_f34960bdf5.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lemonteayk/8582428244/)
The Archduke (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lemonteayk/8582428244/) by LemonTeaYK (http://www.flickr.com/people/lemonteayk/), on Flickr

a plain nawab was very engrossed at the spa.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8238/8582428466_02c792a46a.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lemonteayk/8582428466/)
The Plain Nawab (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lemonteayk/8582428466/) by LemonTeaYK (http://www.flickr.com/people/lemonteayk/), on Flickr

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8233/8581328857_85d107f880.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lemonteayk/8581328857/)
The Plain Nawab (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lemonteayk/8581328857/) by LemonTeaYK (http://www.flickr.com/people/lemonteayk/), on Flickr

a few grey pansies. their host plant is very common along the marshy edges of the stream, and this female was taking a break after ovipositing.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8232/8582428662_d17aeea13e.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lemonteayk/8582428662/)
The Grey Pansy (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lemonteayk/8582428662/) by LemonTeaYK (http://www.flickr.com/people/lemonteayk/), on Flickr

some more normal visitors.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8367/8581329039_45840ef8e2.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lemonteayk/8581329039/)
Eurema simulatrix (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lemonteayk/8581329039/) by LemonTeaYK (http://www.flickr.com/people/lemonteayk/), on Flickr

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8104/8582429458_f6df6ef3e2.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lemonteayk/8582429458/)
The Blue Jay (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lemonteayk/8582429458/) by LemonTeaYK (http://www.flickr.com/people/lemonteayk/), on Flickr

[MinuteMaid]

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8371/8582429644_5e6eacea10.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lemonteayk/8582429644/)
The Magpie Crow (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lemonteayk/8582429644/) by LemonTeaYK (http://www.flickr.com/people/lemonteayk/), on Flickr

the melastoma bushes with their fruits attracted some visitors, but mainly higher up and out of reach for me. only this lone malay viscount was tenacious enough to land on a low exposed branch.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8252/8581329229_a4a30f9bd7.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lemonteayk/8581329229/)
The Malay Viscount (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lemonteayk/8581329229/) by LemonTeaYK (http://www.flickr.com/people/lemonteayk/), on Flickr

overall puddling activity was good today with more than normal numbers of butterflies, especially cruisers and bluebottles. i had my first tailed jay and commander puddlers, but they both didn't stay long enough for me to shoot them.

[Silverstreak]

YK ,

All beautiful shots with uncluttered backdrop , your shot has improved by leaps and bounds !

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[MinuteMaid]

YK ,

All beautiful shots with uncluttered backdrop , your shot has improved by leaps and bounds !

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

sunny thanks!

you are one of many inspirations for butterfly photography here. and i am always impressed by your determination to hunt the rarer species down.

[LWM66]

Wow really awesome shots and always very uplifting to see such beautiful and colourful yet fragile insects.

Thanks so much.

WM