This is the 2nd butterfly garden which the Butterfly Interest Group of NSS has worked on, the first being the Alexandra Hospital Butterfly Trail which was setup in 2002.
BIG started collaborating with CAAS in May 2007 on the initial concept and feasibility of the garden and subsequently advice CAAS on the choice of butterfly species and plants for the garden. After a long 15 months and I am very pleased that we finally see the fruit of our labour. The butterfly garden is located at the Transit Mall of Changi Airport Terminal 3 and open 7x24 to transit passengers. It is designed as a tropical nature retreat to create a tropical butterfly habitat. At any one time there are about 2000 butterflies in the enclosure. As such, even during the opening where it was drizzling and cloudy, the garden was buzzing with butterflies fluttering around and feeding on flowers. As this is a new garden, the project team is continuously monitoring and refining the setup. New host plants, nectaring plants and butterfly species will be added over time to ensure the garden is attractive and lively year round.
As the T3 Butterfly Garden is located in the Transit mall, it is thus only accessible to transit passengers. However, BIG has been granted special permission by CAAS to conduct butterfly walks inside the garden. Do watch out for announcements on BIG website on upcoming walk in the T3 Butterfly garden. The walk is exclusively for NSS members and will be on first come first serve basis.
So NSS membership has its privileges ! Sign up as NSS member now if you would like to visit the T3 Butterfly Garden.
Below are some photos taken during the opening of the garden :
1. Gan and Simon with staff from Butterfly House Consultancy Sdn Bhd, the company that setup the T3 Butterfly Garden. (L-R Mr Lim, Joseph, Chin, Gan, Mrs Goh, Mr Goh and Simon)
2. Representatives from NSS at the opening - Adeline, Gan, Vilma and Simon
3. Simon and Gan with Mrs Lim Hwee Hua (Senior Minister of State for Finance and Transport and Mr Foo Sek Min (Senior director of CAAS’ Airport Management Group)
4. Simon and Gan inside the T3 Butterfly Garden
5. Signage inside the garden
6. I only had my P&S camera with me so I only managed to photograph those not so active butterflies.
Clockwise from top left - mating pair of Papilio polytes (Common Mormon) with female above and male below, Junonia atlites (Grey Pansy) , Catopsilia scylla (Orange Emigrant) and Junonia ipitha (Chocolate soldier).
Like the Alexandra Hospital Butterfly Trail, the T3 Butterfly Garden is a great place for observing and photographing butterflies that are otherwise rare or not approachable in the wild - The Chocolate Soldier, Common Mormon form romulus, Common Sergeant, Great Mormon, Clipper just to name a few.
That's it for now. Watch this space for more photos of the garden.
2. Kaniska canace (Blue Admiral) - The next butterfly to look out for at Fraser's Hill is the Blue Admiral. It is a fast flier and like to perch at the tip of a leaf. I have seen this butterfly on 5 separate occasions, trice along Telecom loop, once along the road to Jeriau waterfall and another time along Sri Pahang road.
4. Delias descombesi (Red Spot Jezebel) - There are many beautiful Pieridae at Fraser's hill and the Red Spot jezebel is the most common Pieridae there. It can be easily recognize by the bright yellow hindwings and red streak along the costal margin.
6. Yasoda pita (Branded Yamfly) - This is the highland version of The Yamfly (Loxura atymnus). It is larger and has more rounded wings and is not uncommon at the hill top.
The caterpillar of the Green Baron, like those from the tribe Adoliaditi (The Baron, Horsfield's Baron, Archduke ..) has a single subdorsal row of very long, horizontal projecting, delicately branched spines. 9 days after the caterpillar pupated, a beautiful female emerged !
Pupa : 
When disturbed, it will lift up its head and waves its legs. I found out later from Tzi Ming that this is the caterpillar of the Neostauropus alternus, a drab brown moth ;-(
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