Koh Phangan 2012

[moloch]

Nice shots, Antonio. I really like to colour, texture and setting of the Lemon Pansy. I have not yet seen that species. Is it common in Thailand?


Regards,
David

[Painted Jezebel]

Nice shots, Antonio. Now to look for the Chain Swordtail (Pathysa aristeus), however you will only have a short window of opportunity, as it only has a single brood each year, and will have disappeared by the end of April!

David, the five Pansies we have, Chocolate, Gray, Peacock, Lemon and Blue, are all common throughout Thailand, except montane areas. The one species missing from these Islands is the Yellow Pansy (Junonia hierta), which is odd, as it is common on the mainland.

[Psyche]

Nice shots, Antonio. Now to look for the Chain Swordtail (Pathysa aristeus), however you will only have a short window of opportunity, as it only has a single brood each year, and will have disappeared by the end of April!

I am wondering what you meant by only a single brood a year, since this will be quite extraordinary for a tropical species.

I gather the species is migratory, the butterflies settled in a area to lay their eggs. The progeny of these migrants after they emerged then fly to another area and repeat the process.

Pathysa aristeus is wide-ranging, from India to Australia, but strangely enough is restricted to the far north of Malaya. Perhaps its favoured hostplant is one that only thrives in a strongly seasonal climate.

TL Seow

[Angiud]

It's so hot these weeks that I don't go out easily... But I notice a greater traffic and I guess the season is starting! Yesterday only one shot that deserves to be posted, but it's the first record for KPG (I know, I know, in Samui is common):

The Gray Tinsel - ผีเสื้อแวววาวเทา - Catapaecilma major emas

[Painted Jezebel]

Glorious photo of this wonderfully hairy species. It must have just eclosed, I have never seen one with such ochraceous colouring, mine all seem to be much greyer unfortunately. I even had to do a quick check to make sure it was not C. subochrea, which it isn't, and it is a northern Thai species.

Not common here, but still seen on a quite regular basis.

[WillFolsom]

Antonio: What a truly wonderful butterfly. I've never seen anything like this. Not only a beautiful butterfly, but captured perfectly. Great on all counts! William

[Angiud]

Thanks Williams, and as you can see, the butt is very small, staying on a grass blade

[moloch]

Those Tinsels are great looking little butterflies. That was a very nice shot, Antonio.

How hot does it get on your island?

Regards,

[Commander]

Delicious shot of that Tinsel, Antonio. Its hairy legs remind me of the leg-warmers that aerobics buffs use.

[Commander]

Nicely done on the Five Bar Swordtail, Antonio!

Nice shots, Antonio. I really like to colour, texture and setting of the Lemon Pansy. I have not yet seen that species. Is it common in Thailand?

The Lemon Pansy seems to be more common in the northern part of Malaysia, although I believe they've been spotted as far south as KL once in a while. They are common at times at the Penang Botanic Gardens. When I shot this one some time back, there were at least half a dozen of them frolicking in the sunshine, in the same behaviour as their other relatives - chasing each other in a spiralling dogfight.

We also encountered them on our earlier trip to Langkawi, so it would suggest that the species is common in the northern part of Malaysia. Now we wait patiently for them to slowly move southwards towards Singapore.