Saturday, May 7, 2011

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. Ixias pyrene alticola (f)-MYFH_20110501_D0610-640

The Banded Puffin (Appias pandione lagela)– a common pierinae at Fraser’s hill. Appias pandione lagela-MYFHNewRoad_20110429_D0338-640
The Yellow Glassy Tiger- a common butterfly at Fraser’s Hill. Parantica aspasia aspasia-MYFHRaub_20110430_D0498-640

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

Euploea mulciber mulciber-MYFHRaub_20110430_D0484-640

The Blue Begum and Koh-I-Noor – both are rare and were sighted at the same location ! Awesome !
Prothoe franck uniformis-MYFHRaub_20110430_D0532-480Amathuxidia amythaon dilucida-MYFHRaub_20110501_D0641-480

Staff Sergeant (Athyma selenophora selenophora)
Athyma selenophora amharina-MYFHNewRoad_20110429_D0330-640
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.
Sumalia daraxa theoda-MYFHNewRoad_20110429_D0279-360

The Common Nawab - common but always a joy to watch and photograph.Polyura athamas athamas-MYFHNewRoad_20110429_D0303-640

The Circe – flies and looks like a Chestnut Tiger ! It will trick all but the true expert. RARE ! Jackpot !!Hestina nama nama-MYFHRaub_20110501_D0643

The Larger Yamfly (Loxura cassiopeia cassiopeia)Loxura cassiopeia cassiopeia-MYFHRaub_20110430_D0523-640
The White Banded Awl
– one of the more colourful Awls.Hasora taminatus malayana-MYFHRaub_20110501_D0630-1024

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