House of Butterflies

There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly. 

The caterpillar does all the work but the butterfly gets all the publicity.

Location : Cameron Highland , Pahang Darul Makmur - Malaysia

House of Butterflies - The Malay Viscount Butterfly

The Malay Viscount butterfly (Tanaecia pelea pelea)  

The Malay Viscount, Tanaecia pelea, is a species of butterfly of the Nymphalidae family.

Tanaecia pelea has a wingspan reaching about 65–70 millimetres (2.6–2.8 in). The basic colour of the upper wings is pale brown with pearly-bluish edges. It has dark brown marking on the basal area and a discal series of dark brown-edged hastate markings.

Habitat and Ecology

This butterfly inhabits primary and secondary rainforest. However, it favours dense, shaded forest and rarely ventures into open areas. Selective logging has a negative impact on this species (Willott et al. 2000). Both sexes are often seen puddling on rotting fruits and carrion. Adults are relatively weak, slow-flying insects that settle frequently. Females lay single eggs on the underside of the food plant. This butterfly closely resembles several other species from its genus.

Location : Taman Negara, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia - Northern Region 

House of Butterflies - Blue Pansy ( Junonia Orithya )

Junonia orithya is a nymphalidbutterfly with many subspecies occuring  from Africa, through southern and south-eastern Asia, and in Australia. In India its common English name is the blue pansy, but in southern Africa it is known as the eyed pansy as the name blue pansy refers toJunonia oenone.^[1][2] In Australia this butterfly is known as the blue argus.^{[3] -wikipedia}

A sunbathing male Blue Pansy displaying its upperside.

Male : local host plant Asystasia gangetica

Physical Description of Adult Butterfly: 

Above, the forewing for the male is black to dark brown with a whitish sub-apical band, two orange and two blue bars in the cell, and two post-discal eye-spots in spaces 2 and 5. The hindwing of the male is brilliant blue with an orange post-discal eye-spot in space 2 and a much smaller dark post-discal spot in space 5. The female is similarly marked but with a much duller hue. The post-discal eye-spots in spaces 2 and 5 on the hindwing are much larger than in the male. Underneath, both sexes are grayish brown withcryptic orange/brown markings and have eye-spots similarly placed as on the upperside. - http://butterflycircle.blogspot.com/2011/05/life-history-of-peacock-pansy.html

>> A female Blue Pansy

House of Butterflies - The Peacock Pansy (Junonia almana javana)

 

This instar lasts for 2-3 days, and the body length reaches up to 25mm.

Life History of the Peacock Pansy

LIfe History of the Peacock Pansy (Junonia almana javana)

Butterfly Biodata:

Genus: Junonia Hübner, 1819

Species: almana Linnaeus, 1758

Subspecies: javana C. Felder, 1862

Wingspan of Adult Butterfly: 40-55mm

Caterpillar Local Host Plant: Ruellia repens (Acanthaceae)

A Peacock Pansy displaying its upperside.

A Peacock Pansy on a leaf perch

Physical Description of Adult Butterfly: 

Above, the wings are rich yellowish brown with darker brown edges at both termen and costal margins. On each of the forewings, there are four distinct costal bars, the outermost three of which are filled with darker shadings. There is a prominent ``peacock'' eye-spot in space 2 near the tornal area, and a lesser one in space 5. On each hindwing, a much larger and more prominent eye-spot is featured in spaces 5-6 near the apex. The termens of both fore- and hindwings are marked by two series of marginal striae. Underneath, the wings are duller and the costal bars are filled with paler shadings instead. Compared to those on the upperside, the ocelli are smaller and on the hindwing, there is an additional ocellus in space 2, and the spot in spaces 5-6 appears to be a conjoined pair. Each of the fore- and hindwings has a dark stripe traversing from the costa to the dorsum. The stripes appear to be continuous across the two wings. The stripe on the hindwing is outlined by a broad pale band on the inner edge.

Field Observations of Butterfly Behaviour: 

This species is rather common across multiple habitats in Singapore, with ubiquitous presence in open areas in the nature reserves as well as urban and suburban areas. It flies in the usual gliding manner of the Junonia spp. and typically several individuals can be seen together in one location. Under sunny condition, they have a habit of opening their wings wide to sunbathe while resting on a perch.- http://butterflycircle.blogspot.com/2011/05/life-history-of-peacock-pansy.html

House of Butterflies - Malaysia Part 2

Butterflies are beautiful, flying insects with large scaly wings. Like all insects, they have six jointed legs, 3 body parts, a pair of antennae, compound eyes, and an exoskeleton. The three body parts are the head, thorax (the chest), and abdomen (the tail end). 

The butterfly's body is covered by tiny sensory hairs. The four wings and the six legs of the butterfly are attached to the thorax. The thorax contains the muscles that make the legs and wings move. -enchantedlearning.com

Location : Malaysia

1. ) Psyche ( Leptosia Nina Malayana ) 

2.) Peacock Pansy ( Junonia Almana Javana ) 

3.) Common Bush Brown ( Mycalesis Janardana Sagittera ) 

4.) Common 7 Ring

5.) Plain Lacewing ( Cethosia Penthesilea Methypsea ) 

6.) Common Sailor ( Neptis Hylas Papaja ) with Wings Closed 

   Common Sailor ( Neptis Hylas Papaja ) with Open wings 

7.) Common Grass Yellow ( Eurema Hecabe ) 

 

8.) Common Buckeye, Junonia coenia Hübner, 

House of Butterflies - Malaysia - Part 1

The Oxford English Dictionary derives the word from a combination of butter and fly. It adds: "The reason of the name is unknown", and refers to Hensleigh Wedgwood, who "points out a Dutch synonym boterschijte in Kilian, which suggests that the insect was so called from the appearance of its excrement".^[4]

Donald Ringe writes that the name is derived from Middle English buterflie, butturflye, boterflye, from Old English butorflēoge, buttorflēoge, buterflēoge, perhaps a compound ofbutor (beater), mutation of bēatan (to beat), and flēoge (fly).^[5]

This little gallery is just to show the beauty and range of the wonderful butterflies found in Malaysia. They are not arranged into any order of families, and I have listed their common names together with their scientific names.

Location : Malaysia

1.) Blue Pansy (Junonia orithya wallacei)

2.) Plain Lacewing ( Cethosia Penthesilea Methypsea) 

3.) Plain Tiger ( Danaus Chrysippus Chrysippus ) 

4.) Great Egg Fly ( Hypolimnas Bolina Bolina ) 

5.)  Striped Albatross ( Appias Libythea Olferna ) 

6.) Blue Glassy Tiger ( Ideopsis Vulgaris Macrina )

7.) Common Mormon ( Papilio Polytes Romulus )

8.) Grey Pansy ( Junonia Atlites Atlites ) 

9.) Common Four Ring ( Ypthima Baldus Newboldi) 

10.) Lime butterfly (Papilio demoleus malayanus)