last updated on Feb 15 2002

Feature
Common Birdwing (Troides helena)
Colours in the breeze - Butterflies of the Gardens
  
In the pre-dawn hours at the Gardens, the final stage of the metamorphosis of the Common Birdwing (Troides helena) is taking place. High up in the canopy of an Angsana tree, an almost indiscernible wriggle starts off a series of movements in the pupa which culminate in the emergence of a female Common Birdwing.
t is now 7:00am, and as the first jogger runs past below, the adult butterfly crawls out of its now-empty pupa and hangs her wings our to dry  ...
Walks & Events

 

Sightings

New !
23/02/02 - Discovered a new species, Charaxes solon echo and sighted a female Polyura schreiber tisamenus at Upper Pierce. (Khew, Steven, Simon & Gan)
27/01/02 - Sighted the rare Dark Blue Jungle Glory (Thaumantis klugius lucipor) at Sime Forest. (Simon & Gan)
01/01/02 - Found Blue Nawab (Polyura schreiber tisamenus) caterpillars feeding on Saga (Adenanthera pavonina) leaves along Old Upper Thomson Road. (Simon & Khew)
23/12/01 - Sighted the rare Discophora sondaica despoliata and Iraota rochana boswelliana  at Chestnut Drive (Khew and Gan)
20/12/01 - Photographed the Idea leuconoe chersonesia at Pulau Tekong. (Khew)

Articles

 

"Ghost of the Malayan Forests" by Simon Chan Kee Mun

 Have you ever seen a ghostly apparition under the forest canopy? Some recall seeing faraway objects akin to pieces of paper floating about at the fringe of the forest. Yet others think that the objects are just seeds of some primeval forest trees with enormous wings so that they could be carried by the wind to some distant land.

 

more ...

Photo Highlight ..

Cabbage White (Pieris canidia malayana)

The Cabbage White (Pieris canidia malayana) .

A Cabbage White taking a rest on the Purple Cleome  (Cleome rutidosperma).

Expert Insight ..

The Painted Jezebel (Delias hyparete metarete), can be commonly seen in parks and urban area. 
Find out more about this butterfly from this article by the  BIG ..

Take this Quiz ..

Take this test to gauge your butterfly knowledge :

My colours are black, red, white and yellow,
And I'm a graceful yet rugged kinda fellow,
You'll see me flying in all sorts of weather,
In a lighthearted, carefree, nonchalant manner,
Preferring treetops to do my socialising,
Descending to flowers for my daily feeding,
My female counterpart always flashes a tan,
So now, who am I really then?

What butterfly is this ? eMail your answer to BIG !
 
Click here for answer to last month's quiz

Top of the chart

Common Urban butterflies :
1. Lime Butterfly (Papilio demoleus)
2. Common Grass Yellow (Eurema hecabe)
3. Lemon Emigrant (Catopsilia pomona)
4. Orange Emigrant (Catopsilia scylla)
5. Painted Jezebel (Delias hyparete)
6. Chocolate Pansy (Junonia hedonia)
7. Common Palmfly (Elymnias hypermnestra)
8. Lesser Grass Blue (Zizina otis)

 

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