Wall (Lasiommata megera)

OTHER NAMES: Wall Brown

Latin Etymology: Lasiommata ("hairy eyes") megera (named after one of the Erinyes)

Adult Wall (subspecies L. m. megera) at Trevose Head, Cornwall - May 2012

Featured Subspecies: Lasiommata megera megera
Length: ?  /  Wingspan: 44-46mm
UK Status: Near Threatened / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated

The Wall is widespread throughout Europe and Asia and found in a wide variety of habitats, it seems to be found in heath and moor sorts of habitats, along with a selection of others.  A fairly large butterfly, the number of eyespots on it is quite distinctive.  It's name comes from it's habit of basking on hard surfaces like walls.

Related Species:
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Lasiommata
SUBSPECIES: L. m. megera, L. m. vividissima, L. m. megerina, L. m. transcaspica

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A localised resident.

 - Seen on Trevose Head

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)

OTHER NAMES: Cosmopolitan, Thistle Butterfly

Latin Etymology: Vanessa (from an Ancient Greek deity) cardui ("wild thistle" or "artichoke")

Adult Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) at Trevose Head, Cornwall - May 2012

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Length: ?  /  Wingspan: 50mm
UK Status: Least Concern / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated

The Painted Lady is an unusual butterfly for the UK in that it is a long distance migrant, amazingly travelling to the Mediterranean and North Africa and back again.  It is a fairly attractive species, and tends to be widely if sparsely distributed, with some years being big influx years.  They are a very widely distributed species found on most continents.

 Related Species:
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Vanessa
SUBSPECIES: N/A

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A fairly common Summer migrant species

 - Seen in Geddington and Trevose Head

Further Notes: BirdGuides, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Tufted Jungleking (Thauria aliris)

OTHER NAMES: Tufted Jungle King

Latin Etymology: Thauria (?) aliris ("approach")

Adult Tufted Jungleking (subspecies T. a. pseudaliris) at Genting Highlands, Malaysia - July 2016

Featured Subspecies: Thauria aliris pseudaliris
Wingspan: 110-120mm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

A huge species of butterfly found in South East Asia, the Tufted Jungleking has camoflaged outer wings for when feeding amongst the leaf litter, but it's upper wings possess bright blue-whute stripes which it can flash at predators to startle them.  It feeds on fermented sugars of fallen fruits, and apparently can even get drunk on them.

Related Species:
Order: Lepidoptera 
Family: Nymphalidae 
Genus: Thauria
SUBSPECIES: T. a. aliris, T. a. intermedia, T. a. merguia, T. a. pseudaliris
 
- Sighting Locations -
MALAYSIA - A widespread but local resident.
 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: One seen at Genting Highlands

Further Notes: BirdGuides, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Striped Blue Crow (Euploea mulciber)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Euploea (?) mulciber (an alternate name for Hephaestus/Vulcan)

Adult male Striped Blue Crow (subspecies E. m. mulciber) at Genting Highlands, Malaysia - July 2016

Featured Subspecies: Euploea mulciber mulciber
Wingspan: 80-90mm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

A large species of butterflies from the brush-footed butterfly family and the most common species of it's family in Singapore and presumably Malaysia by extension.  It has a wide number of host plants and can be found in varied habitats.  As a catepillar it uses its silk to secure parts of the leaves together so it can eat parts of the leaves further on from where it has already eaten.

Related Species:
Order: Lepidoptera 
Family: Nymphalidae 
Genus: Euploea
SUBSPECIES: E. m. awayuki, E. m. azagra, E. m. babina, E. m. barsine, E. m. basilissa, E. m. batunensis, E. m. cebuensis, E. m. bazilana, E. m. claudia, E. m. dinagatensis, E. m. donada, E. m. dongo, E. m. duarseri, E. m. dufresne, E. m. elwesii, E. m. gelderi, E. m. kalinga, E. m. kochi, E. m. maassi, E. m. malakoni, E. m. masbatensis, E. m. mindanensis, E. m. mulciber, E. m. paupera, E. m. phoebadis, E. m. portia, E. m. semperi, E. m. seraphita, E. m. subvisaya, E. m. ticoana, E. m. triggia, E. m. vandeventeri, E. m. verhuelli, E. m. visaya  

 - Sighting Locations -

MALAYSIA - A widespread but local resident.

 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: Several seen at Genting Highlands

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Wavy Maplet (Chersonesia rahria)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Chersonesia (?) rahria (?)

Adult Wavy Maplet (subspecies C. r. rahria) at Batu Caves, Malaysia - July 2016

Featured Subspecies: Chersonesia rahria rahria
Wingspan: 30-40mm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

The Wavy Maplet is a fairly small species of butterfly endemic to South East Asia.  It is a native of rainforest and specifically of the climbing fig species Ficus aurantiacea on which it lays it's eggs. These butterflies pick several favoured spots to rest in and will move between them, but doesn't move far from them.  As adults they do not take sustenance from flowers, and apparently feed on minerals taken from surfaces.

Related Species: 
Order: Lepidoptera 
Family: Nymphalidae 
Genus: Chersonesia
SUBSPECIES: C. r. rahria, C. r. tiomana, C. r. apicusta, C. r. sanna, C. r. celebensis, C. r. mangolina, C. r. banggaina

- Sighting Locations -

MALAYSIA - A common resident

 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: One seen in Kuala Lumpur

Further Notes: BirdGuides, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Magpie Crow (Euploea radamanthus)

OTHER NAMES: Oriental Magpie Crow

Latin Etymology: Euploea (?) radamanthus (?)

Adult Magpie Crow (subspecies E. r. radamanthus) at Genting Highlands, Malaysia - July 2016

Featured Subspecies: Euploea radamanthus radamanthus
Wingspan: 70-80mm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

A large species that was fairly numerous in Genting Highlands, it is a member of the family of the Crow and Tiger butterflies which are typically black butterflies with white markings.  The family as a whole is often poisonous, due to their consumption of toxic plants while still in the caterpillar stage.

Related Species:
Order: Lepidoptera 
Family: Nymphalidae 
Genus: Euploea
SUBSPECIES: E. r. addenda, E. r. niasica, E. r. radamanthus, E. r. schreiberi

 - Sighting Locations -
MALAYSIA - Malay - ?
A widespread but local resident.
 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: Several seen at Genting Highlands

Further Notes: BirdGuides, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Chocolate Pansy (Junonia hedonia)

OTHER NAMES: Brown Pansy, Chocolate Soldier

Latin Etymology: Junonia (?) hedonia (?)

Adult Chocolate Pansy (subspecies J. h. ida) at Genting Highlands, Malaysia - July 2016

Featured Subspecies: Junonia hedonia ida
Wingspan: 60mm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

The Chocolate Pansy is a widespread species found throughout much of Southern Asia and Australia, found in many habitats - their two main foodplants as larvae are members of the acanthus family that are common plants across the region.  They often bask on low to the ground plants.

Related Species:
Order: Lepidoptera 
Family: Nymphalidae 
Genus: Junonia
SUBSPECIES: J. p. admiralitatis, J. h. apollonia, J. h. hedonia, J. h. hondai, J. h. ida, J. h. intermedia, J. h. iwasakii, J. h. kangeana, J. h. numana, J. h. parvipuncta, J. h. pseudiphita, J. h. seitzi, J. h. teurnia, J. h. thero, J. h. zelima

 - Sighting Locations -

MALAYSIA - Malay - ?

A common resident.

 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: Several seen at Genting Highlands

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto
.

Blue Pansy (Junonia orithya)

OTHER NAMES: Eyed Pansy, Blue Argus

Latin Etymology: Junonia ("peacock") orithya (name of a Princess from Greek Myth)

Adult Blue Pansy (subspecies J. o. wallacei) at Lower Pierce Reservoir, Singapore - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: Junonia orithya wallacei
Wingspan: 45-55mm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

The Blue Pansy is a widespread species found across three continents - Australia, Africa and Asia. It has a very distinctive set of colours which should make identifying it easy, although it varies quite dramatically across the subspecies in terms of what the exact balance of the colours are.  It has a wide variety of food plants throughout it's range.

Related Species:
Order: Lepidoptera 
Family: Nymphalidae 
Genus: Junonia
SUBSPECIES: J. o. albicincta, J. o. baweana, J. o. celebensis, J. o. eutychia, J. o. hainanensis, J. o. here, J. o. kontinentalis, J. o. kuehni, J. o. leucasia, J. o. madagascariensis, J. o. marcella, J. o. metion, J. o. mevaria, J. o. mingagara, J. o. minusculus, J. o. neopommerana, J. o. novaguineae, J. o. ocyale, J. o. orithya, J. o. orthosia, J. o. palea, J. o. patenas, J. o. saleyra, J. o. samatrana, J. o. swinhoei, J. o. wallacei

  - Sighting Locations -

MALAYSIA - A widespread but local resident.

 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: Several seen at Genting Highlands

SINGAPORE - A reasonably common resident.

 - SINGAPORE/CAMBODIA 2019 TRIP: Single individual at Lower Pierce Reservoir.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Banded Marquis (Bassarona teuta)

OTHER NAMES - N/A

Latin Etymology: Bassarona (?) teuta (after a Queen of the Illyrians)

Adult female Banded Marquis (subspecies B. t.. goodrichi) at Batu Caves, Malaysia - July 2016

Featured Subspecies: Bassarona teuta goodrichi
Wingspan: 60-80mm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

A large butterfly species found throughout South-East Asia, it was seen by me at Batu Caves, sitting on the pavement outside of a cocoanut stand, feeding on spilled juice from the disgarded husks of the fruit.  The male of this species is a distinctive black and white species, but this particular individual was the larger female which has more cryptic colouration.

Related Species:
Order: Lepidoptera 
Family: Nymphalidae 
Genus: Bassarona
SUBSPECIES: B. t. teuta, B. t. goodrichi, B. t. affinis, B. t. rayana, B. t. tiomanica, B. t. teutoides, B. t. gupta, B. t. eurus, B. t. yapana, B. t. externa, B. t. eion, B. t. veyana, B. t. bellata, B. t. ira, B. t. salpona, B. t. eson

 - Sighting Locations -

MALAYSIA - Malay - ?

A common resident

 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: Several seen in Kuala Lumpur

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Autumn Leaf (Doleschallia bisaltide)

OTHER NAMES: Leafwing

Latin Etymology: Doleschallia (?) bisaltide (?)

Adult Autumn Leaf (subspecies D. b. pratipa) at Genting Highlands, Malaysia - July 2016

Featured Subspecies: Doleschallia bisaltide pratipa
Wingspan: 60-70mm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

A large butterfly found in South-East Asia and Australasia, their food plant of choice include jackfruit, breadfruit and wild petunias.  Their wings have evolved to resemble leaves when closed to protect them from predators, even down to a stripe designed to mimick the central veign of a leaf.  They rarely show their upper wings when rested, although they are bright orange and black.

Related Species:
Order: Lepidoptera 
Family: Nymphalidae 
Genus: Doleschallia
SUBSPECIES: D. b. andamanensis, D. b. apameia, D. b. australis, D. b. bougainvillensis, D. b. cethega, D. b. ceylonica, D. b. continentalis, D. b. denisi, D. b. gurelca, D. b. herrichi, D. b. indica, D. b. karabachica, D. b. malabarica, D. b. menexema, D. b. merguiana, D. b. montrouzieri, D. b. nasica, D. b. nigromarginata, D. b. tualensis, D. b. philippensis, D. b. pratipa, D. b. rennellensis, D. b. scapus, D. b. sciron, D. b. tenimberensis, D. b. tualensis

 - Sighting Locations -

MALAYSIA - A widespread but local resident.

 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: Several seen at Genting Highlands

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Cardinal (Argynnis pandora)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Argynnis (epithet of Aphrodite) pandora (after the mythological figure)

Adult Cardinal (subspecies A. p. pandora) at Patones, Spain - April 2015

Featured Subspecies: Argynnis pandora pandora
Length: ?  /  Wingspan: 64-80mm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern 

The Cardinal is a large fritillary found around the Mediterranean and Central Asia, and in Europe at least one of the larger butterfly species within its range.  It's larvae feeds on viola species, and it seemed to be reasonably numerous in the hilly region near Madrid we saw it in, though it rarely stopped long enough to take photos of it.

Related Species:
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Argynnis
Subspecies: A. p. chrysobarylla, A. p. cyrenea, A. p. pasargades, A. p. wedekindi, A. p. pandora

- Sighting Locations -

SPAIN - Spanish - Pandora

Locally common resident.

 - MADRID 2015 TRIP: Several seen at Patones

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Horsfield's Baron (Tanaecia iapis)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Tanaecia ("praise worthy"?) iapis ("healer"?)

Adult female Horsfield's Baron (subspecies T. a. puseda) at Lower Pierce Reservoir, Singapore - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: Tanaecia iapis puseda
Weight: ?  /  Length: ?  /  Wingspan: 6.5cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

A very highly sexually dimorphic species - the male is broadly two single blocks of colour - black and pale blue, while the female as seen in the picutre above is a subdued mottled arrangement of browns, oranged and creams somewhat resembling the colours of dead leaves.  The species is named for Thomas Horsfield, an American Naturalist who was friends with Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, noted founder of colonial Singapore.

Related Species:
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae 
Genus: Tanaecia
SUBSPECIES: T. i. puseda, presumably more? 

 - Sighting Locations -

SINGAPORE - A fairly common resident

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: One seen around Lower Pierce Reservoir 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Malay Cruiser (Vindula dejone)

OTHER NAMES: Cruiser
Latin Etymology: Vindula (?) dejone (?)

Adult male Malay Cruiser (subspecies V. d. erotella) at Lower Pierce Reservoir, Singapore - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: Vindula dejone erotella
Weight: ?  /  Length: ?  /  Wingspan: 2.5-3.5cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

The Malay Cruiser is a striking black and orange species found across much of Southern Asia.  One of it's most fascinating adaptations is it's chrysalis, which is really highly adapted into resembling dead leaves hanging from a branch to act as camoflage. This individual seen at Lower Pierce Reservoir seemed to be fairly weathered individual.

Related Species: 
Order: Lepidoptera 
Family: Nymphalidae 
Genus: Vindula
SUBSPECIES: V. d. ambonensis, V. d. austrosundana, V. d. bagrada, V. d. buruana, V. d. bushi, V. d. bushi, V. d. celebensis, V. d. cycnia, V. d. dajakorum, V. d. dejone, V. d. dejone, V. d. dioneia, V. d. dorokusana, V. d. erotella, V. d. erotoides, V. d. javana, V. d. kabiana, V. d. natunensis, V. d. obiensis, V. d. rafflesi, V. d. satellitica, V. d. satellitica, V. d. susanoo, V. d. tiomana 

 - Sighting Locations -

SINGAPORE - A scarce resident

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: One seen around Lower Pierce Reservoir

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Grey Pansy (Junonia atlites)

OTHER NAMES: Oriental Grey Pansy
Latin Etymology: Junonia ("peacock") atlites (?)

Adult Grey Pansy (Junonia atlites) at Siem Reap, Cambodia - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: ?  /  Length: ?  /  Wingspan: 5.5-6cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

A butterfly that has subtle coloration relative to many of the other more flamboyant tropical Nymphalidae, the grey Pansy has a substantial range over all of Southern Asia, though it is apparently comparatively rare in Singapore.  However, in Cambodia is is presumably fairly common, as this individual was seen in Central Siem Reap in the courtyard of Artisans Angkor.

Related Species:
Order: Lepidoptera 
Family: Nymphalidae 
Genus: Junonia
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

CAMBODIA - Khmer - ?
 A fairly common resident

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: One seen at Siem Reap

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Tawny Coster (Acraea terpsicore)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Acraea ("high latitude") terpsicore ("dance")

Adult Tawny Coster (Acraea terpsicore) at Gardens by the Bay, Singapore - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: ?  /  Length: ?  /  Wingspan: 5-6.4cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

While it can sometimes be depressing to realise to what extend the natural world is diminishing, it can be easy to forget that some species are actually expanding their range, and not in the sense of being introduced by humans.  The Tawny Coster is one such species; an insect that is resident to India and Sri Lanka, it has slowly expanded it's range round the coast for the past 30 years, arriving in Malaysia in 1992 and finally in Singapore in 2006 where it is now established.

Related Species:
Order: Lepidoptera 
Family: Nymphalidae 
Genus: Acraea
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic

 - Sighting Locations -

SINGAPORE - A locally common resident

 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: One at Gardens by the Bay

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

African Queen (Danaus chrysippus)

OTHER NAMES: Plain Tiger, African Monarch
Latin Etymology: Danaus (a mythical Egyptian King) chrysippus (after a Greek Philosopher)

Adult Plain Tiger (subspecies D. c. chrysippus) at Bishan Park, Singapore - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: Danaus chrysippus chrysippus
Weight: ?  /  Length: 2.3cm (body)  /  Wingspan: 7-8cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

A large, distinctive butterfly with a huge range spanning Africa, Asia and Australia.  Their bright colours are to warn predators; they consume milkweed as larvae which renders them unpalatteable to many predators.  As a further extension of this process, it has a number of species which have begun to mimic it to benefit from it's toxicity.  It also has the distinction of being on the earliest butterflies known to be depicted in human art, appearing in a fresco at Luxor.

Related Species:
Order: Lepidoptera 
Family: Nymphalidae 
Genus: Danaus
SUBSPECIES: D. c. chrysippus, D. c. acippus, D. c. orientis

 - Sighting Locations -

SINGAPORE - A common resident

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: A few at Bishan Park

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .