Butterflies Around Ulu Sembawang Park Connector

The Ulu Sembawang Park Connector was open to the public again after it was closed for maintenance work for a few months. On a nice Saturday morning (20 September), I decided to find out what has been done to the park connector.

Before crossing the road and heading to the park connector, I usually walked to the reservoir edge. There were a few butterflies flitting around. But only this Purple Duke (Eulaceura osteria kumana) was kind to let me take a few shots while it was resting underneath a leaf, albeit at an awkward position.

The park connector was very quiet and devoid of insect activity until this Starry Bob (Iambrix stellifer) appeared at the entrance of a forest trail.

I used to find skippers along this shady trail but not this time. The shrubs at the end of this trail have grown so tall and dense that I had difficulties looking for walking space and hunting for critters. I decided to wander around a large plot of "no man's" land on side of the park connector.

Some orange skippers were sunbathing on a grass patch. I believe this is a Potanthus species resting on a blade of grass.

Very soon it opened up its wings - a characteristic of certain Potanthus species.

Strolling along a stretch of tarred road, at least a couple of "hopping" skippers caught my attention. The Grass Demon (Udaspes folus) seemed to be common as its host plants - from the ginger family (Zingiberaceae) were rather abundant in the area.

When it changed its perch, I managed to get a quick shot of its undersides.

I always had difficulties shooting a Horsfield's Baron (Tanaecia iapis puseda). After chasing this male for a long time, it finally settled on a tip of a leaf just below my eye level.

There were many Gram Blues (Euchrysops cnejus cnejus)  at one particular spot where its larval host plants Vigna reflexophilosa - a creeper with yellow flowers were growing wild.

This is another shot of a different specimen. While searching for pristine specimen for my shots the weather changed rather rapidly - soon dark clouds gathering and rain drops falling. I had to leave hastily.

I didn't notice any changes to the stretch of the park connector before the shelter. I guessed the soil has been strengthen to prevent further landslide at one particular spot further down.