Butterfly photos from Fraser's Hill, July 2011

[moloch]

Nice collection of a good variety of species. You must've hit a really good patch of diversity in Fraser's Hill. And also had good weather to boot!

The flash on the Constable appears to have gone a bit over. Those that I shot on my FH trip a couple of years back were much darker.

The last one looks like a female E. aconthea but the spots appear to be quite diffused.

Thanks, Khew. I was shooting the Constable in low light so it is possible that the flash setting may have been too intense. Still, it is a beautiful butterfly.

David ,

That is a bountiful harvest from Fraser's Hill!!!

I must say you have really mastered the T180!!

Thanks very much, Sunny. I had some very good advice fom LC, Nelson and Derrick out at Maliau. Fraser's Hill was also productive this year but I did have a car which helped lots. When it was cloudy at FH, I could quickly zip down to the Gap where conditions were usually better.


Thanks, Seow, for all of the identification information that you provide. Your knowledge of the butterflies is amazing!

[moloch]

Indian Yellow Nawab (Polyura jalysus): I saw at least one at each of the three sites that I visited.



I am a little confused about separating Common Nawab (Polyura athamas) from Plain Nawab (P. hebe). To add to my confusion, C&P4 indicates that there are two distinct forms of P. athamas on the peninisula.

#1. Common Nawab (Polyura athamas):



#2. Common Nawab (Polyura athamas):



#3. Common Nawab (Polyura athamas):



#4. Polyura moori (thanks, Seow)



#5. Plain Nawab (Polyura hebe)



Jester (Symbrenthia hypatia): I saw this interesting butterfly on one occasion at the base of the first falls below the Gap.


... showing a little of the Lascar-like uppersurface:

[moloch]

Thanks, Seow. From my own observations over the years, the spots on the females of the Euthalia appear to be very variable. In particular, I've had the chance of examining the females of the more common E. aconthea which showed a range of variability that could even suggest another species or cause a misidentification!

Read my recent blog article here -> http://butterflycircle.blogspot.com/...bility-of.html

Thanks, Khew, for the link with excellent photos. The females certainly vary a great deal in pattern.

[Glorious Begum]

Wow, you really found a lot of species there. And many Nawabs too.

[Psyche]

Amazingly you have a shot of P. moori (no 4) which I dont think anyone has done before.
Although not considered rare in the book, this species have proved very elusive.

No 5 is P. hebe.

TL Seow

[moloch]

Amazingly you have a shot of P. moori (no 4) which I dont think anyone has done before.
Although not considered rare in the book, this species have proved very elusive.

No 5 is P. hebe.

TL Seow

Thanks, Seow. I guess that explains why the pale area on the wings was larger than in the shots of P. athamas.

[moloch]

Malay Yeoman (Cirrochroa emalea): I saw several of these on the sandy area along the walk to Jeriau Falls.



Banded Yeoman (Cirrochroa orrisa): Two of these were seen along the creek about 8 km from the Gap.




Cirrochroa tyche The black marking at the wing tip seems to be uniform in width but C&P4 shows the mark extending the length of the upper wing. These were seen at both locations below the Gap.




This Asian Leaf Butterfly (Kallima limborgii) was attracted to the over-ripe bananas that I placed in the forest along the creek 8 km from the Gap. What an amazing butterfly! It opened and closed its wings a number of times until I tried to move to a position where I could photograph the upper surface.




Autumn Leaf (Doleschallia bisaltide): Two of these butterflies were attracted to bait one afternoon. I did not see them on any other days.




Blue Admiral (Kaniska canace): I saw one of these lovely butterflies on the Telecom Loop and another near Jeriau Falls.




Black-tipped Archduke (Lexias dirtea) (thanks, Aaron and Seow): I only saw two of these and both were along the creek 8 km from the Gap. They responded well to the over-ripe bananas.

[atronox]

Archduke is L. dirtea coz of the black antennal clubs(on the upper surface only).

[Psyche]

C. tyche is correct.
This and C. surya can have similar markings on the forewing, but surya is always much more heavily darken down the wing margin.

Archduke is L. dirtea coz of the black antennal clubs(on the upper surface only).

Right on Aaron. Also, at least in Malaya (peninsular Malaysia) dirtea have the forewing band's inner margin strongly indented throughout compared to pardalis.

TL Seow

[WillFolsom]

David; Been enjoying all your posts. You've greatly improved with the T180 (as I have with a lot of BC encouragement and advice). Looking forward to some environmental shots of the place, where you stayed, etc. Keep them coming. William