|
The very first thing I did
when I awoke on Sunday, 3rd January 1999 was to look out the
window. Expecting to see the prevailing weather of previous days past,
that of dark skies filled with gray clouds and pouring rain, I was
pleasantly surprised to be greeted by a strong burst of sunshine from the
heavens. ‘My prayers the night before must have worked’, I happily
thought to myself as I struggled to drag my half-asleep body to the
bathroom.
Leaving my apartment, my mind
was working overtime. For one thing, this was to be the inaugural
butterfly walk around town areas and the first for the year. While the
other was the nagging worry that few people will turn up because the
newsletter was sent out late. Rehearsing the ‘game’ plan many times in
my head alleviated my anxiety somewhat but there will always be
unnecessary pressure to have everything perfect, right down to the
smallest detail. I must admit that Murphy’s Law did cross my mind a few
times.
I need not have fretted one
bit. At our rendezvous point, which is the station control of Kembangan
MRT, there were already twenty people waiting. Through light conversations
with them, I discovered some have this misconception that nature could not
survive in an urban setting but as the day unfolded they found out just
how resilient nature actually is. In fact this was the reason why such a
walk was planned. And based on that day’s overwhelming turn out, there
is now a strong case for BWR (Butterfly Watching and Research group) to
conduct more of these urban forays.
To kick off, I decided to show
the group what a butterfly habitat looks like. Located diagonally from the
MRT station is an excellent example of one. Left vacant by URA, this piece
of land the size of a football field is sparsely planted with palm trees
and the entire area was overgrown with all manner of grass and herbaceous
plants. Amongst the long grass can be seen weeds like the Common Asystasia
(Asystasia intrusa), Coat Buttons (Tridax procumbens) and Wild Cat’s
Whiskers (Cleome ciliata) to name a few.
On our way there, we spotted
our first butterfly. Going by the scientific name of Suastus gremius
gremius, it was previously recorded as a rare skipper. However, due to the
on-going tireless work of the National Parks staff in cultivating many
plant species in the town areas, especially numerous species of palm of
which one is the caterpillar foodplant of this skipper, it has been quite
common nowadays. Oblivious to our many prying eyes, this particular
specimen was sunbathing on a leaf of a bougainvillea bush at the side of
the MRT station. With its completely brown coloured wings, it looked
rather drab safe for some white spots and the distinctively arranged four
black spots on the underside of its hindwings.
Just as we reached the field,
two male Painted Jezebels (Delias hyparete metarete) were spotted flying
around a tall Sea Almond tree (Terminalia catadta). With red and yellow on
a base colour of white, this is one of the commoner species with extremely
colourful wings. Their stunning colours serve two purposes. Firstly as
warning coloration to predators to stay away as it has an unpleasant
taste. I have never tasted one but if you know bird-speak, you can ask the
birds what they think! The second and more obvious reason is to attract
mates.
Next, we lingered at some
Ixora bushes opposite the MRT station. Already there were about five male
Painted Jezebels flying around and feeding on the flowers. Amidst this
color explosion sat a drab butterfly on an Ixora bloom. Having four flimsy
tails on grey coloured wings on the underside, this Peacock Royal (Tajuria
cippus maxentius) paled in comparison to the Painted Jezebels. That was at
least how the underside looked like to everyone. Once on the wing,
however, the group’s perception changed when they glimpsed the flashes
of brilliant blue on the upperside.
Coming from the direction of a
big canal cutting through the MRT station were two male Striped
Albatrosses (Appias libythea olferna). They were on their way to the
grassy patch on the other side of the Ixora bushes. So swift was their
flight that the only thing you were able to see was a haze of white wings,
nothing else. Suddenly, one of them alighted on a Coat Button flower,
displaying its white upperside with black margins on the forewings and a
few black triangle edges on the hindwing borders.
From there the whole group
proceeded westward towards Eunos. Along the way we saw more Painted
Jezebels, either crossing the busy Sims Avenue East road or flying high
into someone’s landed property. Then as suddenly as they appeared, three
Common Grass Yellows (Eurema hecabe contubernalis) were seen wriggling
their way from the roadside into a private home before disappearing into
some Dracaena bushes (Dracaena marginata tricolor).
We were by now approaching a
few clumps of Bushy Cassia (Cassia biflora). It was here that we spotted
two Orange Emigrants (Catopsilia scylla cornelia) ‘jumping’ about. One
of them, a female, was busy laying eggs on the leaves of the shrub. This
she did as gently as a human mother would be looking after her baby. Full
of tender loving care, she placed her abdomen underneath a leaf and
deposited a yellow coloured egg. Across the main road were the MRT tracks
and more Ixora bushes. Once again the Painted Jezebels were there to
captivate us as they hovered over the bushes.
Pushing ahead, we chanced upon
a Common Palmfly (Elymnias hypermnestra agina) weaving in and out of the
many cinnamon trees (Cinnamomum iners) lining the area. Some people have
liken the flight and colours of this butterfly to the poisonous model, the
Striped Blue Crow (Euploea mulciber mulciber). But I beg to differ as
there are some really visual differences. Besides being a lot smaller than
the latter, the bluish forewings are not as brilliant and its flight is
punctuated with more wing beats. This likeness or similarity is what
entomologists called mimicry. On the grassy verge next to the drain we
spotted our first of many minute Lesser Grass Blues (Zizina otis lampa).
With a wingspan of just over 1cm, its greyish underside filled with
numerous black spots contrasted greatly with its purplish upperside.
Further down the road led us
to a side lane turning left towards an arts society building. Just outside
the compound was another unused piece of land overgrown with countless
weeds. Fluttering among the white flowers of the Common Asystasia was a
female Common Mormon of the form polytes (Papilio polytes romulus). Each
wing beat and colour was carefully imitated to look like the poisonous
model, the Common Rose (Pachliopta aristolochiae asteris) of which it
mimics to near perfection. Settled with wings outspread on a blade of
lallang (Imperata cylindrica) was a very common skipper by the name of
Contiguous Swift (Polytremis lubricans lubricans). Coloured completely
brown with numerous white spots, this small butterfly can be quite easily
overlooked especially in long grassy areas like these.
On a sidewalk close by we
spotted a medium-sized orange butterfly rejuvenating itself by extracting
sustenance from the concrete ground. Most likely it was a passing dog that
had urinated on that slab of concrete. What this butterfly was trying to
feed on was not the urine but the salts contained within. On closer
inspection it was identified as a Leopard (Phalanta phalanta phalanta).
With colours of orange and numerous black spots it is no wonder the
entomologist who discovered it decided to call it just that.
Approaching the front entrance
of the building, we were greeted by three cheerful Cycad Blues (Chilades
pandava pandava) chasing each other around. They seemed to be attracted by
the tiny purplish flowers of an ornamental plant because when they were
not busy frolicking they were seen sipping nectar off them. One among them
decided to be a ‘model’ by posing with opened wings. Displaying the
luminous sky blue colour on the upperside, this particular male was trying
to advertise his charms to passing females. More Painted Jezebels were
seen here, although much loftier in flight. It was as though this species
came out in full force because it wanted to take centre stage over the
rest from the neighbourhood.
Behind the gates were two
small citrus bush which became the talking point among a few members.
Overheard was the conversation that went something like this: ‘The Lime
Butterfly (Papilio demoleus malayanus) should be around here somewhere.
These plants here are lime trees’. Sure enough as if fulfilling a magic
request, one flew across the fence from the side lane and onto the lime
bush. It was a female trying to lay her eggs unsuccessfully amid our
chattering and the dizzying flash bursts from our budding ‘paparazzi’.
In the vicinity was also a
weeping willow (Salix babylonica) tree with its limp, dangling and long
flowing branches. Spotted on one of the many thin and pointed leaves was
another Leopard. This one was a female laying her eggs onto the underside
of the leaf.
As if sending us off, a female
Striped Albatross appeared out of nowhere and settled on a purple
bougainvillea flower in front of us. The appearance of the female with its
duskier look contrasts so much to the male that to the casual observer
they are two different species.
Then it was time to say
‘Adieu’ as each of us went our separate ways at the Eunos MRT station.
All in all, the day’s
‘takings’ came up to thirteen species. Not a bad ‘catch’, I dare
say! Now who says that built-up areas are devoid of nature?
|
