After two weeks away, there is a definite suggestion of seaonal variation today. Relatively few Psyches and Golden Skippers and a positive explosion of Club Silverlines. Saw my first Chocolate Albatross and a couple of what I think are Common Caeruleans Jamedes celeno DSC00800.JPG They were both fem...

Quite a number of 'Pansies' around this morning - always a welcome sight. Peacock and Blue ( also saw Grey, but they were too jumpy :(). DSC00644.JPG DSC00756.JPG There was a beautiful, fresh Great Eggfly (I hope it's not EF mimic!) floating around the veg patch. The iridescent purple is wonderful t...

Six nights on Zaragosa Island off the west coast of Cebu. A small resort and a fishing village - no 'bugging'! First butt was a Plain Tiger ( Danaus chrysippus in the vegetable garden. DSC00724.JPG Out on the island proper the next morning, I found an area with a few local 'Sailors'. This is one of ...

Christmas on Mactan Is., Cebu. The dearth of butterflies was explained by a friendly gardener: "Sir, they are always bugging - no paro-paro (butterflies) here - every day, bugging". The resort had a draconian spraying regime, lest any guest be offended by the sight of a mosquito, with the ...

Very poor internet connection atm. Hope to resume normal service on 3rd Jan. Happy New Year everyone..

Tony Moore.

And from the sunny Philippines... an Oriental 'Jewel" for Yule.

Best wishes all,

Tony M.

Some pix from earlier here: This has just been identified as Parnara kawazoei , quite a common 'skip' in Luzon: DSC00287.JPG There are many Ypthimas, which I thought were all the same. I posted one pic on the Singapore site, and it turned out to be Ypthima stellera : DSC00608.JPG which I gather is c...

Correction to blog entry of Dec 18th. I have again heard from Dr Seow of the Butterfly Circle. Apparently T. hilda is confined to Palawan! My T. ufois, in fact, Telicota augias pythias, - so there!!

T.

Hokum, like all the rest of it.....

Tony M.

Very cloudy, this morning and not a lot about. Still found a couple of 'newbies'. The first was a very tiny Skipper - ws no more than 16/18mm! Almost Pygmy blue size: Correction: I've just been informed that this is A. plumbeola . I didn't think it could be so small. Also should have waited for its ...

Thanks, Chris,

It is an amazing place - so many endemics. I haven't the remotest interest in returning to the UK, although, sadly, shall have to at the end of Jan. We're off to Cebu for Christmas and New Year, so I hope there will be some good stuff there .

Tony.

Good outing today, despite missing a couple of chances at a Chocolate Albatross. The H. luteisquama was on the same flower spray and I managed a better shot: DSC00566.JPG I then saw a Straight Pierrot Caleta roxus ssp. angustior (not a lot of people know that!) in some deep grass. I missed it the fi...

I now have a confident ID for the T. ufo of 12th Dec. It is Telicota hilda, a species that I had not come across. And the tiny spotted Skipper - first pic yesterday, is Aeromachus musca. . The Singapore Butterfly Circle would seem to have some pretty clued-up members....

Tony M.

Three more from today. The Pierid was tiny - Brown Hairstreak size. The Hesperid was seriously tiny - no more than 18mm ws. And the Cornelian was a dratted female
Tony M.

Four new species today, three 'skips' and a Peirid. I've also located a Facebook page, run by a very knowledgable lady,which is devoted to Philippine lepidoptera. ID'ing should be a little easier from now on. I also found another Cornelian this morning. It almost immediately opened its wings(apparen...

Potanthus serina ? :? I've just had confirmation from a Philippines specialist that it is Taractrocera luzonensis. , a Luzon endemic. I see it quite frequently here, but the only pix I had showed uppers only. Been away for a couple of days (to give my dear wife a rest from me butterflying :mrgreen:...

That looks like a really good shot, Nick.

The photo in my 'Butterflies of Singapore' is not convincing, but various pix on the net look like a dead ringer. I'm sure you are right - I'll put it to the Singapore guys and see what they say.

Thanks again,

Tony.

Thanks, Guy, but according to my Philippines check-list, ohara is not found on Luzon. I thought it may be Telicota besta , but that appears not to be found in the Philippines at all :( . I post another Skip below and wonder how you think it looks for Potanthus mingo ? I could easily spend three mont...

It has now been confirmed that this Skipper is a male Plain Palm Dart Cephrenes acalle, courtesy of someone from the Singapore Butterfly Circle.

Tony M.

Aeromachus plumbeola

Slowly learning...

Tony M.