Perhaps the most unique butterfly I've ever seen, it is the only representative of its largely Papuan genus in Borneo. I believe it is the only species to cross Wallace's Line - but I'll need confirmation on that. We saw a number of them across the trip, mostly flying loftily and gracefully, well above eye level, rarely ever stopping to rest. Their ashy wings, slow flight and graphic ocelli made them look slightly ghostly (spooky even?) as they wafted in and out of the forest. Early in the morning and late in the afternoon were the best times to see them. On the second day, I was gifted with an experience I'll never forget. After chasing one up a narrow slope along a fence in my pajamas (it was early in the morning and I was just walking around the lodge when I saw one), I finally got the chance to see one up close. It was feeding on residue on leaves, turning in jerky motions and flapping once each time, just as any other Amathusiini would. Halfway through shooting it, I stepped into a hole in the ground and (AARRRGGGG) scared it off. Here is the shot!
Taenaris horsfieldii occulta
Last edited by Banded Yeoman; 05-May-2019 at 03:31 PM.
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