Lornie Nature Corridor Part 4

I have not been updating this blog regularly.  Yes, it is a big shame on me that my last blog post here was a long time ago. Though I have not been active writing blog or posting pictures, I did walk around to shoot whenever I was free. Usually I strolled along the Lornie Nature Corridor quite as it is near my home.

Over a longer period, I did encounter and photographed some species that were not featured in my previous three parts.  

This rather tame Pitcher Blue (Virachala kessuma deliochus) was resting on a leaf above my eye level. It stayed there for a while, allowing a few of us to snap some shots.

The Pitcher Blue is not common here as its larval host plant Nepenthes gracilis  is not very common. A detailed write-up on its early stages with a fantastic video can be found at (life history of Pitcher Blue).

This Scarce Silverstreak (Irota rochana boswelliana) is a beautiful lycadenid which is more commonly found in town parks where its larval host plant Ficus microcarpa is abundant.  

A write-up on its life history is here.

The Malayan Jester (Symbrenthia hippoclus) was first discovered by me in year 2012 outside the Nanyang Technologial University entrance . Good to see that this species has been found in quite number of places in recent years.

    

It was rather skittish at first,  always scooting off to the canopy whenever I approached it closer. With patience, finally, it did stay on the ground  long enough for me to snap a few quick shots.

The Quaker (Neopithecops zalmora zalmora) was abundant  a few weeks ago.  They like to fluttering around in the shade.

This is the Indigo Flash (Rapala varuna orseis) feeding on this invasive Mile-a-Minute flowers. 

The Dark Veined Tiger (Danaus melanippus hegesippus) took a short break for me to a quick shot. 

Due to work and family commitments, I have not been going for any overseas shooting for the last 1.5 years. Hope I can make up for it from now onwards.

Lornie Nature Corridor Part 3

I could not remember when I last encountered the Malay Lacewing (Cethosia hypsia) but on 12 Nov, we saw a couple of them at the Lornie Nature Corridor on a rather overcast morning. When the sunshine is slowly piercing through the clouds, we started to see more butterfly activities.

This is a male Caltoris cormasa. It was quite restless and zipping around before it finally decided to feed on the Latana flowers for us to take some shots.

The Small Branded Swift (Pelopidas mathias mathias) is rather common  

When I spotted a Malay Lacewing (Cethosia hypsea hypsina) it was actually resting on a leaf surface. Perhaps due to the cool weather, its flight was rather weak and had frequent perches.

From the upperside shots, we can tell that this is a female.

Her male companion was feeding on the Lantana flowers. 

After feeding, he took a short perch.

The Malay Viscount (Tanaecia pelea pelea) was abundant as usual. A male was found feeding on some dry and perhaps fermented fruits of the Singapore Rhododendron (Melastoma malabathricum). 

Elioti Conalian (Deudorix elioti) seemed to be in season in mid November. We found at least 3 or 4 individuals along the nature corridor somewhere between two the bus stops.

Same specimen but a different pose for me.

The more common Deudorix species is the Cornelian (D. epijarbus). At times, we could see at least half a dozen of them flitting around and feeding on the wild flowers.

Yamfly (Loxura atymnus fuconius) also seems to be very common along this nature corridor.  A rather pristine specimen attracted my interest in taking a few shots of it.  

 A skittish Common Lascar (Pantoporia hordonia hordonia) kept visiting the Mile-a-minute flowers but it didn't stay still - I could only get some quick snap shots.

Its underside shots

My first sighting of the Suffused Flash (Rapala suffusa barthema) along the Lornie Nature Corridor - thanks to John who spotted it.

I have spotted the Aberrant Oakblue (Arhopala abseus abseus) from far a few times before but this was my most recent shot.    

This is a male of the Malay Baron (Euthalia monina monina) - an interesting species that the male has three different forms - this is form-decorata.

My last post of the Year 2023, wishing every butterfly-lover a joyful and healthy new year ahead. Let's us find time to explore new hunting grounds for butterfly-photography and don't get trapped in our own comfort zones in Year 2024 !

Butterflies at Lata Kinjang and Gua Tempurung

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Located in the Chenderiang village, Perak,  Lata Kinjang is one of the tallest and famous waterfalls in Malaysia. The car journey to this waterfall took more than an hour, navigating through some small and winding kampong roads for the last few kilometers.    

 

The view of the waterfall cascades is quite nice. 

Though the weather was good, butterfly activities were rather. At a shelter along the riverbank, I noticed a mating Common Green Metalwing (Neurobasis chinensis)  damselflies. Without much hesitation, I stepped forward a few steps and snapped a series of shots before they seperated. 

Shortly after this hot , they disengaged and flew off .

While walking down a flight of stairs, I noticed that a large black-and-white butterfly flying past me and landed on a leaf. This is the Malayan Owl (Neorina lowii neophyta).  

 The Common Maplet (Chersonesia risa ) was spotted high on a tree around noon time. It kept flapping its wings and refused to come down to the ground level.    

The Light Straw Ace (Pithauria stramineipennis) was the only skipper puddling on the sandy riverbank on a hot afternoon. 

While moving towards a puddling ground near a campsite, I spotted a Curetis regula and Nacaduba sanaya both feeding on the ground. 

Interestingly,  the Sunbeam tried to get closer to the Jewel Fourline Blue

Choy and MY spotted this Banded Swallowtail (Papilio demolion) next to the campsite. 

We waited quite a while hoping to see other butterflies coming down to puddle on the sandy riverbank - but a great disappointment for us as only the Chocolate Albetross (Appias lyncida vasava) turned up.

There were a few Jamides parasaturatus flitting around near a shelter along the steps leading to the top of the waterfall.    

This is another but less pristine specimen puddling on the same rock.

Another look-alike Jamides talliga was found at the camping ground. Can you spot the differences between these two species?

Before we decided to head back to Gua Tampurung before 2 pm as the butterfly activities were disappointing, I took some shots on a group of Rajah Brooks.

However, we didn't see many butterflies at Gua Tampurung also. This small creature flew past me and caught my attention - it looks like a treehopper or something else ?     

The highlight of the day must be this Libythea myrrha hecura (The Club Beak). It was very skittish for more than 15 minutes and I hardly had a chance to shoot it. But once it got used to our presence, it became rather tame and cooperative for us to take many shots.

Definitely, we will visit Ipoh for butterfly-shooting again in the future. 

Butterflies at Kuala Wok Forest Reserve

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After breakfast we headed out to Kuala Wok Forest Reserve on our third day (5 Sep) in Perak. About an hour of car journey from our hotel, we arrived at this popular camping site especially on weekends. This time, we had to pay an entrance fees (I think 20 Ringgit) to enter this Forest Reserve.

As usual, a large group of male Rajah Brook's Birding (Trogonoptera brookiana) puddling on the sandy riverbank caught our attention. 

Let me zoom in on a few of them.

Getting a shot on an isolated single RB within the frame needed a bit of patiencce.  

I found it challenging to snap an unobstructed shot of the underside.

My attempt to use a macro lens to shoot in-flight butterflies.   

There is a hanging bridge for us to cross the river to the opposite side where we could explore a forested area.  This is the Small Red Bob (Idmon obliquans obliquans) 

The Narrow-Banded Velvet (Koruthaialos rubecula rubecula) was found next to the bridge. It reacted to the camera flash quite instinctively but I was lucky to capture it in the frame.

 

In the afternoon, the Athyma reta moorei (Malay Staff Sergeant) was loitering on the sandy area for quite a long time. With lots of patience, we managed to snap some shots.   

A look-alike Athyma selenophora  was shot in a forested area across the river. A skittish fellow that refused to let me take more shots.  

A rather pristine and tame Malayan Yamfly  (Loxura cassiopeia cassiopeia)  

At the same vicinity, a Sunbeam (Curetis tagalica jopa)

There were two very skittish Redspot Sawtooth (Prioneris philoneome) flying around and puddling on the river bank.

The male Chocolate Albatross (Appias lyncida) seemed to be a lot more common than the female. However, they were rather sensitive to our movement of getting closer to them. 

This small beautiful damselfly which was identified by Zick as Heliocypha perforata attracted my attention.

I believe this is a teneral damselfly and it just moulted or an immature one? 

This is a Flashwing (Vestalis sp) which I shot in the forested area

This blue dragonfly looks like the Black-tailed Dasher (Brachydiplax farinosa), perching on a twig.

 I encountered a ladybird beetle before I entered the forested trail.

To be continued