Blue Jay's butterflies Dec 2011/2012

[Blue Jay]

Uncle Seow, do you think this swift is P. agna or P. mathias? The photos were shot with flash and I am not sure if the grey tinge is "washed off" by it, if it is mathias. This butterfly was shot few months ago.

[Blue Jay]

I was at Sungei Buloh today with Mr Khew and a few others. There were lots of Sumatran Sunbeams today (as usual).

1. C. tagalica [female]
2. C. saronis(female)
3. Cabbage White
4. Jacintha Eggfly(male)

[Psyche]

I would leave the swift as P. mathias.
The 2 species can be quite difficult to separate.
This is a pristine individual & the forewing shows a dark shading.

The Sunbeams are rather confusing in Singapore.
If we were to follow the key the 1st is C. tagalica & the 2nd C. saronis.
However the undersides appeared to be identical.

C. saronis female.
Note the end of the forewing band is more rounded & the hindwing band narrower.
The image of the male with the red legs is no longer available.
Note the antennal tips seem to be a brighter orange.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...Sunny-Chir.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0SkEnFnlt-...eam+Female.jpg

Tentative C. tagalica.
Male
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...raSunbeam1.jpg
Female. Note end of forewing band slightly slanted & irregular; hindwing band broader.
Note in both sexes, the antennal tips are duller orange.
http://www.natureloveyou.sg/Minibeas...350%20(10).jpg
http://wanderingbutterflyeffect.file...eea554860c.jpg

TL Seow

[Blue Jay]

Uncle Seow, this is getting a little confusing. Based on my photo, the forewing band looks rounded, suggesting C. saronis. However, when I double-confirmed the ID by looking at my dad's photo of the same individual, I realised that the hindwing band was quite broad. So, I am posting my dad's pic here for confirmation.

[Psyche]

Uncle Seow, this is getting a little confusing. Based on my photo, the forewing band looks rounded, suggesting C. saronis. However, when I double-confirmed the ID by looking at my dad's photo of the same individual, I realised that the hindwing band was quite broad. So, I am posting my dad's pic here for confirmation.

This is correctly C. tagalica.
In photos shape of bands gets easily distorted.
You will notice the end of the forewing band is somewhat irregular whereas that of C. saronis is more smoothly rounded.

The hindwing band of C. saronis is narrowly crescentic & very irregular.

Also note that in your father's shot certain parts of the wings which are normally black now reflect orange.

TL Seow

[Blue Jay]

This is correctly C. tagalica.
In photos shape of bands gets easily distorted.
You will notice the end of the forewing band is somewhat irregular whereas that of C. saronis is more smoothly rounded.

The hindwing band of C. saronis is narrowly crescentic & very irregular.

Also note that in your father's shot certain parts of the wings which are normally black now reflect orange.

TL Seow

Thanks Uncle Seow!

[Blue Jay]

Graphium sarpedon luctatius(Common Bluebottle)

[Blue Jay]

Uncle Seow, is this Common Dartlet? Thks in advance.

[MinuteMaid]

beautiful picture of the bluebottle!

love the texture of the wings and the background.

[Psyche]

Uncle Seow, is this Common Dartlet? Thks in advance.

You can see from the hindwing & forewing spots it is a Palm Dart,Telicota.
The forewing shape & whitish abdomen indicates a female.

You can ruled out T. linna female (hindwing veins not darkened) & T. colon female (forewing spot4 & 5 oddly shaped or split)

There is not enough dark shading to suggest T. ohara.

In T. besta female the hindwing underside is strongly greenish dull yellow/ochre.

It is the female of T. augias.

TL Seow