MinuteMaid
05-Jan-2019, 07:45 PM
Hi everyone,
back after a really long hiatus. Have been studying in Australia for several years now. Back in Singapore for a short break before I head back next month to continue my PhD. Made several small trips to Malaysia to photograph butterflies. My skills are a little rusty but here are some interesting species I found.
I'll start with the ones from Gopeng. The weather this time of the year wasn't particularly good. A lot of intermittent rain throughout the day, and it was basically a huge cat and mouse game with the sun. I did manage to find some goodies though.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4907/44509982280_6a53e9b15e_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2aPci2A)
I'll start with the usual fanfare of Gopeng delights! Rajah Brooke's Birdwing (Trogonoptera brookiana) were not out in the usual numbers, but even then the species is a guaranteed click for the camera. Here a nice male puddling at the usual seepage.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4883/46248309852_2158561591_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2dsNFfC)
I managed a semi-decent shot of a female nectaring on hibiscus growing along the road outside of villages. This was taken from inside a car.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4858/46313085761_e1d7c03eff_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2dywESD)
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4905/45413510615_65bd8cc7b6_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2cc37wk)
An icon of Gopeng, the Black Prince (Rohana parisatis) is another frequently encountered butterfly here. I'm always amazed at how intensely black fresh specimens are. It's like staring into VantaBlack (the darkest object in the world)!
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4818/32454145338_5570f08cf8_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/RrRYHY)
I only saw three dragontails this trip, and only one was pristine with a full set of tails. Photographing these were unusually difficult because of the tenuous sunlight. They would disappear almost immediately when the rays were blocked by clouds, descending only (and usually immediately) when the light broke through the sky. I snapped this quick one of a white dragontail (Lamproptera curius) in between passing showers.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4896/32454144818_0594245aef_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/RrRYz1)
I was quite happy to encounter this Bassorona teuta, a species i've seen on numerous occasions, but one i've yet to photograph. The males of this handsome species patrol open forested paths with a very commanding and regal flight. It's hard not to notice.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4903/46313048511_bf11bc256c_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2dywtNp)
I seem to have a lot of luck this time round with freshly emerged butterflies (you'll see why in the later posts). This Horaga onyx fell from the sky like an ocherous confetti and landed on a parking lot. I moved it to a leaf for this shot.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4858/32440926918_a2195fe072_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/RqGemb)
Common in Malaysia, but I rarely tire from chasing after Yellow Glassy Tigers (Parantica aspasia). This is my best shot of this otherwise common species.
back after a really long hiatus. Have been studying in Australia for several years now. Back in Singapore for a short break before I head back next month to continue my PhD. Made several small trips to Malaysia to photograph butterflies. My skills are a little rusty but here are some interesting species I found.
I'll start with the ones from Gopeng. The weather this time of the year wasn't particularly good. A lot of intermittent rain throughout the day, and it was basically a huge cat and mouse game with the sun. I did manage to find some goodies though.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4907/44509982280_6a53e9b15e_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2aPci2A)
I'll start with the usual fanfare of Gopeng delights! Rajah Brooke's Birdwing (Trogonoptera brookiana) were not out in the usual numbers, but even then the species is a guaranteed click for the camera. Here a nice male puddling at the usual seepage.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4883/46248309852_2158561591_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2dsNFfC)
I managed a semi-decent shot of a female nectaring on hibiscus growing along the road outside of villages. This was taken from inside a car.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4858/46313085761_e1d7c03eff_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2dywESD)
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4905/45413510615_65bd8cc7b6_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2cc37wk)
An icon of Gopeng, the Black Prince (Rohana parisatis) is another frequently encountered butterfly here. I'm always amazed at how intensely black fresh specimens are. It's like staring into VantaBlack (the darkest object in the world)!
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4818/32454145338_5570f08cf8_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/RrRYHY)
I only saw three dragontails this trip, and only one was pristine with a full set of tails. Photographing these were unusually difficult because of the tenuous sunlight. They would disappear almost immediately when the rays were blocked by clouds, descending only (and usually immediately) when the light broke through the sky. I snapped this quick one of a white dragontail (Lamproptera curius) in between passing showers.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4896/32454144818_0594245aef_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/RrRYz1)
I was quite happy to encounter this Bassorona teuta, a species i've seen on numerous occasions, but one i've yet to photograph. The males of this handsome species patrol open forested paths with a very commanding and regal flight. It's hard not to notice.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4903/46313048511_bf11bc256c_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2dywtNp)
I seem to have a lot of luck this time round with freshly emerged butterflies (you'll see why in the later posts). This Horaga onyx fell from the sky like an ocherous confetti and landed on a parking lot. I moved it to a leaf for this shot.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4858/32440926918_a2195fe072_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/RqGemb)
Common in Malaysia, but I rarely tire from chasing after Yellow Glassy Tigers (Parantica aspasia). This is my best shot of this otherwise common species.