Butterfly Paradise at Chiang Dao (Northern Thailand) Part 3

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There were a few black-and-white butterflies on the ground at different time of the day. This is The Clear Sailor (Neptis clinia susruta) - a rather skittish Sailor which tested my determination of shooting both its undersides and uppersides.

It kept flapping its wings and didn't stay still on the ground. So I was quite happy to get a record shot. 

Another very skittish Neptis species, the Neptis magadha magadha (The Spotted Sailor) also didn't offer me any good opportunity of shooting its uppersides. 

 However, I managed to take a better shot of its undersides.

Along a stretch of the Chiang Dao hill slope, another Neptis species, the Sullied Brown Sailor (Neptis nata adipala) was flitting to-and-fro. It took me a while to snap this shot.

After shooting its uppersides, I found it very tough to get a decent shot of its undersides - this was the best shot I could get as it never stayed still with wings folded fully.

My last shot of a Neptis species was this Yerbury's Sailor (Neptis yerburii pandoces). Flitting close to the ground most of the time, it rested a few seconds - long enough for me to snap a few quick shots.

 It changed its perch often. However, it was just too shy to show me the undersides.

Just like the Sailors (Neptis species), many Athyma butterflies are cladded with black-and-white "outfit". This Studded Sergeant (Athyma asura asura) was alone at one corner when I spotted it.

In the late afternoon on 14 Oct, another I encounter another specimen loitering inside a hut.

With patience, I finally got a chance to capture its underside.

There were at least a couple of the  Athyma selenophora bahula (The Staff Sergeant). This was the more pristine one.

The undersides were exposed when it enjoyed the nutrient from the soil.

I saw Les and Khew stalking this guy quite persistently along a roadside. I thought it was another Athyma species until I had a glimpse of its undersides - it was an Emperor! the Sailor Emperor (Mimathyma chevana chevana). A distant record shot was the only chance I could showcase this skittish guy.    

Just like my last visit in early November, the Indian Purple Emperor (Mimathyma ambica miranda) was abundant. 

The blue colour that we see here was due to the reflection of the light from the structure of its wings.

If I took a shot from a certain angle, the striking blue structural colour would show fully.

I had a hard time shooting this very skittish Symbrenthia hypselis sinis (The Himalayan Jester). This was the only shot I got when it landed on the roadside.

The Common Jester (Symbrenthia lilaea lilaea) was a lot more abundant than The Himalayan Jester.

More butterfly shots will be posted in my next post.