Les's Samui Butts

[Painted Jezebel]

I have decided to take a leaf out of Fed'd book, and start a thread purely for my local butts, rather than start a new thread each time.

The weather has turned for the better, at least temporarily, and my regular visit to the forest at Hin Lad yesterday provided me with a few seldom seen butts.

1) Arhopala selta selta
2) Rapala suffusa barthema
3) Zela zeus optima (very rare)
4) Currently unknown Skipper. Both wings are completely unmarked on both upper and undersides. I suspect it may be Ge geta. If so, then it would be a new record for the Island. I should be able to confirm this in a few days.

[jamesf]

Great finds! Thanks for sharing these rare catch.

:cheers:

[Great Mormon]

thanks for sharing the rarer butts :)

[Painted Jezebel]

Oops, forgot to confirm No. 4. It is indeed Ge geta.

It has been very quiet up here for the couple of months, but. at last, things appear to be improving. I have found a new area of woodland, high up on the hills, which I am hoping will provide me with some surprises. I saw a second Athyma species up there yesterday, but was unable to get any pics. I suspect it is A. nefte subrata, but can not be sure.

Some others I saw yesterday, all of which I have shown before, but not for a while, so they should be something new for our more recent members. For the rest of you, I apologise for the duplications.

1&2) Cethosia biblis perakana (Male)
3&4) Cethosia methypsea methypsea (Male)
5) Bassarona dunya dunya (I suspect male, as it was vigorously defending territory)
6) Papilio palinurus palinurus

[Peacock Royal]

Les, beautiful butts and well-taken shots.

[Banded Yeoman]

Thanks for sharing the great pics.

cheers:read:
Jonathan

[Painted Jezebel]

I'm not sure if I have ever shown you one of the rarer Arhopala species up here, so here is Arhopala vihara hirava. Not great shots, but OK for record purposes!

[Banded Yeoman]

Yipee! Another rare one!:yahoo:

[Painted Jezebel]

I went back to my new hillside wood, and was rewarded with my first ever sight of a live Purlisa gigantea gigantea (Giant Imperial), truly beautiful with its metallic sky blue colouring:what: . It was quite high up and, unfortunately, because my normal lens is not working, I had only the bog-standard lens that came with the original camera, so it was too far away to shoot. Not ideal! Why do I always have lens problems just when I am going away?:cry: At least I now know where I can find them. Worse still, both camera shops on the Island have closed, so I am not sure how to get it repaired now.

Using my basic equipment, I was still able to take a few pics with butts that were a bit more co-operative.

1-4)Melanitis leda leda - The first one was taken today, but I am also including three others, taken previously, to show the variable undersides of this species. The checklist only seems to show one form.
5) Rapala varuna orseis - I think I have the ID right, but the purple wash is not very clear.

[Sky Blue]

Good series of Melanitis leda, showing the very different underside.

[Banded Yeoman]

Now I know they are not different butts!:bsmile:

[Silverstreak]

Les,

Nice captures of the various forms of the Melanitis leda leda

#5 is indeed the Rapala varuna orseis only this species has the unique purplish tinge on the upper abdomen.


:cheers:

[Painted Jezebel]

Just a couple of shots from the last week of species most of you will not be familiar with. Still only have the basic standard lens!:cry:

1) After 2 years of trying, finally a recognisable shot of Mahathala ariadeva ariadeva (Malay Falcate Oakblue)
2) Hasora leucospila leucospila (Violet Awl)

[Painted Jezebel]

Slowly filling in the gaps in my photo collection.

After 3 years, decent uncropped openwing shot of Paranticopsis macareus perakensis (Common Zebra), with underside.

[Commander]

Nice ones Les! This Papilionidae species is probably a mimic of the Glassy Tigers as well.

[Painted Jezebel]

I have been taking a 3 month sabatical from shooting, after finishing my survey. Now rested, I decided to make my first trip up into the hills in search of the elusive Purlisa gigantea. I was unsuccessful in that, but I was rewarded with two firsts. Neither are great shots as few butterflies come down from on high, so both are severely cropped.

1) First shot of the very rare Hasora mavis in the field (my only previous shot being 'in the house'!) Unfortunately, I was unable to tell whether it is another female, or the currently undiscovered male.

2) This is the first time I have seen an Athyma nefte subrata f. neftina on the Island. I had only seen f. subrata before.

[moloch]

Nice photos, Les.

I really like the lacewings, especially Cethosia biblis. Their wing pattern is so beautiful.

Regards,
David

[Painted Jezebel]

Being currently incapacitated, I am having to rely on occasional species flying into the house. I was very lucky to have this arrive today and give me a record shot of Burara oedipodea oedipodea (Branded Orange Awlet). This is a female (correction 4 July - it is a male, sorry!), the only other specimen I had seen of this species was a male, for which I have, as yet, no photo. The background leaves much to be desired, but as I could not see that this species has been shown on BC before, I though I would post it.

[moloch]

Interesting species, Les. How do you separate from Great Orange Awlet (Burara etelka)? I looked back at my shots from Taman Negara and it seems quite similar to the Branded Orange Awlet. Do these have different distributions?

I ordered BMP today so hopefully will be able to sort out things better next time I head north.

Sorry to hear of the injury. I hope that you heal quickly and get back to the field. Your trip to Danum should be fantastic.

Regards,
David

[Painted Jezebel]

Size is the main difference. Once you have seen both, and Burara harisa as well, you should not mistake B. etelka for anything else. B. oedipodea differs from B. harisa, in the male, by having a very prominent oval shaped black brand on the forewing upperside. The females of the two species are very similar, but I have not found B. harisa on the Island ..... yet.

Great to hear that you have ordered BMP (here on BC we refer to it as C&P4!). For such a frequent visitor to the area, it is essential, I feel.

As far as my Clavicle is concerned, I have another Hospital visit tomorrow, when they will take another X-ray to see if it is mending properly, fingers crossed.

[moloch]

Thanks, Les, for the info.