Jewels from Fraser’s Hill, May 2011

This is my 2nd trip to Fraser’s Hill this year and one of my all time best ! The best because we had the pleasure to feast on the authentic and BEST ‘Mao Shan Wang’ (Gua Musang) durian in Malaysia and I saw many spectacular and rare butterflies out of which 2 are lifer* for me :

• Graphium empedovana
• Chilasa paradoxa aenigma -f. eucyana
• Lamproptera, most likely L. meges.
• Ixias pyrene alticola
• Amathuxidia amythaon dilucida
• Sumalia daraxa theoda
• Hestina nama nama*
• Prothoe franck uniformis*

Here are some butterfly photos from the trip :

Female Yellow Orange Tip (Ixias pyrene alticola) – a subspecies found on highland, the female can be easily mistaken for other pierinae.

The Banded Puffin (Appias pandione lagela)– a common pierinae at Fraser’s hill.
The Yellow Glassy Tiger- a common butterfly at Fraser’s Hill.

The Striped Blue Crows, sipping seepage from on rock surface.

The Blue Begum and Koh-I-Noor – both are rare and were sighted at the same location ! Awesome !

Staff Sergeant (Athyma selenophora selenophora)

The Green Commodore (Sumalia daraxa theoda) - A highland species which like to settle high above ground, can be mistaken for a small G. sarpedon. This is the first time I managed to photograph this species.

The Common Nawab - common but always a joy to watch and photograph.

The Circe – flies and looks like a Chestnut Tiger ! It will trick all but the true expert. RARE ! Jackpot !!

The Larger Yamfly (Loxura cassiopeia cassiopeia)
The White Banded Awl – one of the more colourful Awls.

and last but not least the authentic Mao Shan Wang durian.