Sunday, July 13, 2014

Butterflies @ Upper Peirce Reservoir Park

It has been quite sometime since my last visit to the Upper Peirce Reservoir Park (UPR).  On a breezy and cool Saturday morning (29 June), I found strolling along this quiet and long Old Upper Thomson Road that snaking through the lush greenery on both sides of the road, very rewarding.  

My first sighting of a butterfly was a beautiful lycaenid, Semanga superba deliciosa. It tested my patience and perseverance before offering me a relatively good perch for some quick shots.
Fluttering around a shrub, this Commander (Moduza procris milonia) kept coming back to the same plant  She appeared to be looking for the correct host plant for ovipositing her eggs.
Some small flowers of  a Leea indica shrub attracted this Yellow Vein Lancer (Pyroneura latoia latoia). It changed  its  perch a few times but is quite cooperative for me to snap a few shots.  
I spotted Horsefield's Baron (Tanaecia iapis pusea) quite often in my previous outings but I always had no luck of getting a good shot. No exception again, this was my best shot of a male from a distance near the reservoir edge. 
In Singapore, the Common Four Ring (Ypthima huebneri) is the smallest species of the genus Ypthima. There were many "Ring" butterflies along a trail leading to reservoir edge - this is just one of them I managed to get a shot.    
Common Grass Yellow (Eurema hecabe contubernalis) was abundant, fluttering around and feeding voraciously on a flowering Leea indica tree before the car park.
The moment I set in a shelter, I was very reluctant to move again. I really enjoyed the picturesque scene at UPR - the reflection of the greenery in the crystal clear water of the reservoir and the serenity of the park. UPR is a perfect place for a person to relax the mind and refresh the body - is a paradise on earth. .  

As the clock ticked away I had to make my way out. I noticed there were quite a number of reddish-pink flowers under a big tree  - no idea what this is.
Walking on a different side of the road while I was on my way out, I noticed a lycaenid butterfly flitting around a tree which bore many small flower buds.  It turned out to be a rather shy Chocolate Royal (Remelana jangala travana) which  kept staying away from me with high perches. 
A Narrow Spark (Sinthusa nasaka amba) also made its appearance on the same tree for a short period of time. But I had no luck of getting a good shot of it.
A rather small Horaga species with its forelegs being all white surprised me. It was flitting down from the canopy and landed on some flower buds. She appeared laying eggs on a flower bud but I could not find any egg with my naked eyes.
I must go back to hunt for this Horaga butterfly again - as it appeared "strange" to me.

This blog will not be updated until early August as I will be going for two overseas trips during the next two-three weeks.

2 comments:

  1. Sounds like you had a lovely day and saw some amazing butterflies. The Horsefield's Barron is an amazing-looking butterfly. I love it!

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  2. What a great day out. You got some really lovely shots, and such a great variety of species. Have safe travels!

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