Butterfly Trip Reports

Trip Reports

Butterfly-watching Holidays

West Malaysia

May 1993

a private small group trip organised and led by Adrian Hoskins

trip report by Adrian Hoskins

Our first 5 days were spent at Taman Negara national park in Pahang state. Getting to the park involved a 2 hour car journey from Kuala Lumpur to Kuala Tembeling, where we saw our first Malayan butterflies, Catopsilia pomona and the stunning Parthenos sylvia while waiting for the boat which took us to park headquarters at Kuala Tahan. During the 3 hour cruise we saw many kingfishers, blue-throated bee-eaters, and small groups of Grass Yellows Eurema hecabe assembling on the sandbanks.

On arrival at Taman Negara we found that butterflies were decidedly scarce along the narrow trails, so we used small boats to take us to various sandbank sites along dark-water tributaries. There we found huge aggregations of puddling Graphium sarpedon, looking like sailboards with sunshine streaming through the translucent green-banded wings. Many other species puddled on the pebble-strewn sandbanks including the gorgeous 5-barred Swordtail Pathysa antiphates, Polyura athamas, Eurema simulatrix, Papilio memnon, and the bright orange Pierid Appias nero. Other fascinating species included the intricately patterned Mapwing Cyrestis maenalis, and the beautifully marked Silverline Spindasis lohita.

One day, when exploring a narrow trail through dark dipterocarp forest, I glimpsed a tiny butterfly flitting from leaf to leaf, but then lost sight of it. After a few minutes of searching I located it again, and watched it settle on a leaf a few metres away. In the gloomy light of the dense forest I could see little more than a dark silhouette, but a close look through the viewfinder of my camera revealed it to be the Riodinid Paralaxita damajanti, a truly beautiful insect, it's deep maroon wings patterned with streaks and spots of brilliant glittering blue - a true jewel of the rainforest.

After returning to Kuala Lumpur we transferred by road to Tapah, in Perak state. Close to the town was a very crowded recreational park, Kuala Woh, which had an amazing number of butterflies, the highlight of which was the truly spectacular Rajah Brook's Birdwing Trogonoptera brookiana, a huge and glorious species whose long black wings are adorned with a series of brilliant iridescent green triangular patches. Hordes of local holiday makers were frolicking in the river, causing the butterflies to stay away from all but the most inaccessible areas, but we were very fortunate to find a group of 14 brookiana which had aggregated to mud-puddle at a sulphur spring at an undisturbed spot further upstream. Later trips to various tropical destinations have produced no end of wonderful species, but nothing will ever better the thrill of seeing those brookiana aggregations !

Our final destination was Tanah Rata, in the Cameron Highlands. The hill forests here were once amongst the best butterfly habitats in Asia, but were long ago destroyed to make way for the vast tea plantations which now cover the hillsides. Fortunately, at the highest elevations, unsuitable for tea cultivation, several fragments of temperate forest remain, and are protected as nature reserves. Amongst the most interesting areas were the summit of Gunung Brinchang, which produced Parantica sita; and the jungle walk to the summit of Gunung Jasa, where in a tiny clearing we saw several individuals of the beautiful Jezebel Delias ninus.

There were several other splendid species in the hill forests at Tanah Rata, such as Ragadia and Thaumantis, but the most attractive were seen lower down, where little pockets of forest along the steep banks of streams have escaped cultivation. Species seen here included the Purple Sapphire Heliophorus epicles, an incredibly pretty little Lycaenid, it's upperside marked with orange lunules on a gleaming purple background; and it's underside bright yellow, with red margins.

Species recorded in West Malaysia in May 1993.

All species listed below were identified by Adrian Hoskins, using Corbet & Pendlebury ( 1992 ).

Site	Family	sub-family	Genus	species
Taman Negara	Hesperiidae	Coeliadinae	Hasora	badra
Gunung Jasa	Hesperiidae	Coeliadinae	Hasora	zoma
Gunung Jasa	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Aeromachus	jhora
Taman Negara	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Iambrix	salsala
Tapah Hills	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Iambrix	salsala
Ringlet	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Iambrix	salsala
Tapah Hills	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Idmon	obliquans
Kuala Woh	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Koruthaialos	rubecula
Kuala Woh	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Koruthaialos	sindu
Tapah Hills	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Matapa	aria
Kuala Woh	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Notocrypta	clavata
Tapah Hills	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Notocrypta	paralysos
Gunung Brinchang	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Notocrypta	paralysos
Tapah Hills	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Oriens	gola
Ringlet	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Oriens	gola
Tapah Hills	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Pelopidas	agna
Tapah Hills	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Pelopidas	mathias
Tapah Hills	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Plastingia	naga
Tapah Hills	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Polytremis	eltola
Taman Negara	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Potanthus	omaha
Tapah Hills	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Potanthus	omaha
Ringlet	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Potanthus	omaha
Tapah Hills	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Potanthus	trachala
Ringlet	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Potanthus	trachala
Taman Negara	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Psolos	fuligo
Tapah Hills	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Psolos	fuligo
Taman Negara	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Pyroneura	flavia
Tapah Hills	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Pyroneura	flavia
Tapah Hills	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Suada	swerga
Tapah Hills	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Calaenorrhinus	aurivattus
Ringlet	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Calaenorrhinus	aurivattus
Tapah Hills	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Calaenorrhinus	nigricans
Kuala Woh	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Mooreana	trichoneura
Tapah Hills	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Odontoptilum	angulatum
Tapah Hills	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Odontoptilum	pygela
Tapah Hills	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Pseudocoladenia	dan
Tapah Hills	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Tagiades	japetus
Tapah Hills	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Tagiades	ultra
Gunung Brinchang	Lycaenidae	Curetinae	Curetis	santana
Tapah Hills	Lycaenidae	Curetinae	Curetis	santana
Tapah Hills	Lycaenidae	Lycaeninae	Heliophorus	epicles
Ringlet	Lycaenidae	Lycaeninae	Heliophorus	epicles
Gunung Brinchang	Lycaenidae	Lycaeninae	Heliophorus	epicles
Taman Negara	Lycaenidae	Lycaeninae	Heliophorus	epicles
Tapah Hills	Lycaenidae	Lycaeninae	Spindasis	lohita
Taman Negara	Lycaenidae	Lycaeninae	Spindasis	lohita
Gunung Brinchang	Lycaenidae	Lycaeninae	Spindasis	lohita
Kuala Woh	Lycaenidae	Miletinae	Allotinus	horsfieldi
Kuala Woh	Lycaenidae	Miletinae	Allotinus	subvoilaceus
Taman Negara	Lycaenidae	Polyommatinae	Acytolepis	puspa
Tapah Hills	Lycaenidae	Polyommatinae	Anthene	emolus
Taman Negara	Lycaenidae	Polyommatinae	Anthene	lycaenina
Tapah Hills	Lycaenidae	Polyommatinae	Caleta	roxus
Taman Negara	Lycaenidae	Polyommatinae	Caleta	roxus
Gunung Brinchang	Lycaenidae	Polyommatinae	Caleta	roxus
Taman Negara	Lycaenidae	Polyommatinae	Castalius	rosimon
Taman Negara	Lycaenidae	Polyommatinae	Catochrysops	strabo
Gunung Jasa	Lycaenidae	Polyommatinae	Celastrina	lavendularis
Taman Negara	Lycaenidae	Polyommatinae	Chilades	pandava
Tapah Hills	Lycaenidae	Polyommatinae	Discolampa	ethion
Taman Negara	Lycaenidae	Polyommatinae	Discolampa	ethion
Tapah Hills	Lycaenidae	Polyommatinae	Jamides	celeno
Tapah Hills	Lycaenidae	Polyommatinae	Nacaduba	berenice
Taman Negara	Lycaenidae	Polyommatinae	Nacaduba	berenice
Ringlet	Lycaenidae	Polyommatinae	Nacaduba	berenice
Gunung Brinchang	Lycaenidae	Polyommatinae	Nacaduba	berenice
Tapah Hills	Lycaenidae	Polyommatinae	Neopithecops	zalmora
Tapah Hills	Lycaenidae	Polyommatinae	Pithecops	corvus
Taman Negara	Lycaenidae	Polyommatinae	Prosotas	lutea
Taman Negara	Lycaenidae	Polyommatinae	Prosotas	nora
Tapah Hills	Lycaenidae	Polyommatinae	Udara	camenae
Gunung Brinchang	Lycaenidae	Polyommatinae	Udara	toxopeusi
Taman Negara	Lycaenidae	Polyommatinae	Zizina	otis
Tapah Hills	Lycaenidae	Poritiinae	Poritia	erycinoides
Tapah Hills	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Arhopala	aedias
Tapah Hills	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Arhopala	agrata
Tapah Hills	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Arhopala	arvina
Tapah Hills	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Arhopala	bazalus
Tapah Hills	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Arhopala	moolaiana
Tapah Hills	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Arhopala	pseudocentaurus
Tapah Hills	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Drupadia	ravindra
Tapah Hills	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Drupadia	scaeva
Kuala Woh	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Eooxylides	tharis
Tapah Hills	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Hypolycaena	erylus
Taman Negara	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Loxura	atymnus
Tapah Hills	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Loxura	cassiopiea
Tapah Hills	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Rapala	scintilla
Tapah Hills	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Remelana	jangala
Ringlet	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Sinthusa	alike
Taman Negara	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Zeltus	amasa
Tapah Hills	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Zeltus	amasa
Tapah Hills	Lycaenidae		Tongeia	potanini
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Apaturinae	Eulacera	osteria
Ringlet	Nymphalidae	Biblidinae	Ariadne	ariadne
Ringlet	Nymphalidae	Biblidinae	Chersonesia	intermedia
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Biblidinae	Chersonesia	intermedia
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Biblidinae	Chersonesia	peraka
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Biblidinae	Chersonesia	rahria
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Biblidinae	Cyrestis	cocles
Gunung Brinchang	Nymphalidae	Biblidinae	Cyrestis	maenalis
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Biblidinae	Cyrestis	nivea
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Biblidinae	Cyrestis	nivea
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Charaxinae	Polyura	athamas
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Charaxinae	Polyura	athamas
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Danainae	Danaus	genutia
Kuala Woh	Nymphalidae	Danainae	Danaus	melanippus
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Danainae	Euploea	core
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Danainae	Euploea	mulciber
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Danainae	Euploea	mulciber
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Danainae	Euploea	radamanthus
Kuala Woh	Nymphalidae	Danainae	Euploea	radamanthus
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Danainae	Euploea	sylvester
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Danainae	Euploea	tulliolus
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Danainae	Euploea	tulliolus
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Danainae	Idea	lynceus
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Danainae	Ideopsis	similis
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Danainae	Parantica	agleoides
Gunung Jasa	Nymphalidae	Danainae	Parantica	aspasia
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Danainae	Parantica	melaneus
Gunung Brinchang	Nymphalidae	Danainae	Parantica	sita
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Cethosia	biblis
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Cethosia	hypsea
Ringlet	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Cirrochroa	emalea
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Cirrochroa	malaya
Ringlet	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Cirrochroa	orissa
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Cirrochroa	orissa
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Cirrochroa	tyche
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Cupha	erymanthis
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Cupha	erymanthis
Ringlet	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Paduca	fasciata
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Paduca	fasciata
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Paduca	fasciata
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Terinos	atlita
Ringlet	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Terinos	clarissa
Gunung Brinchang	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Vagrans	egista
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Vagrans	egista
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Vagrans	egista
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Vindula	dejone
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Vindula	dejone
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Libytheinae	Libythea	myrrha
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Limenitidinae	Athyma	nefte
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Limenitidinae	Athyma	reta
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Limenitidinae	Athyma	selenophora
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Limenitidinae	Euthalia	alpheda
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Limenitidinae	Euthalia	monina
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Limenitidinae	Lebadea	martha
Kuala Woh	Nymphalidae	Limenitidinae	Lexias	pardalis
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Limenitidinae	Moduza	procris
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Limenitidinae	Moduza	procris
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Limenitidinae	Neptis	clinia
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Limenitidinae	Neptis	duryodana
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Limenitidinae	Pantoporia	hordonia
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Limenitidinae	Pantoporia	hordonia
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Limenitidinae	Pantoporia	sandaka
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Limenitidinae	Parthenos	sylvia
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Limenitidinae	Parthenos	sylvia
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Limenitidinae	Tanaecia	clathrata
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Limenitidinae	Tanaecia	munda
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Limenitidinae	Tanaecia	pelea
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Morphinae	Faunis	canens
Kuala Woh	Nymphalidae	Morphinae	Faunis	canens
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Morphinae	Melanocyma	faunula
Gunung Jasa	Nymphalidae	Morphinae	Thaumantis	klugius
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Morphinae	Thaumantis	noureddin
Kuala Woh	Nymphalidae	Morphinae	Thaumantis	odana
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Nymphalinae	Doleschallia	bisaltide
Kuala Woh	Nymphalidae	Nymphalinae	Hypolimnas	bolina
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Nymphalinae	Junonia	almana
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Nymphalinae	Junonia	atlites
Kuala Woh	Nymphalidae	Nymphalinae	Junonia	iphita
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Nymphalinae	Junonia	orithya
Gunung Brinchang	Nymphalidae	Nymphalinae	Kaniska	canace
Kuala Woh	Nymphalidae	Nymphalinae	Rhinopalpa	polynice
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Satyrinae	Coelites	epiminthia
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Satyrinae	Lethe	mekara
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Satyrinae	Lethe	verma
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Satyrinae	Melanitis	leda
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Satyrinae	Mycalesis	fusca
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Satyrinae	Mycalesis	intermedia
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Satyrinae	Mycalesis	janardana
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Satyrinae	Mycalesis	janardana
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Satyrinae	Mycalesis	mineus
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Satyrinae	Mycalesis	patiana
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Satyrinae	Orsotriaena	medus
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Satyrinae	Orsotriaena	medus
Gunung Brinchang	Nymphalidae	Satyrinae	Orsotriaena	medus
Gunung Brinchang	Nymphalidae	Satyrinae	Ragadia	crisilda
Gunung Brinchang	Nymphalidae	Satyrinae	Ragadia	makuta
Kuala Woh	Nymphalidae	Satyrinae	Ragadia	makuta
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Satyrinae	Xanthotaenia	busiris
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Satyrinae	Ypthima	baldus
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Satyrinae	Ypthima	fasciata
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Satyrinae	Ypthima	horsfieldi
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Satyrinae	Ypthima	huebneri
Tapah Hills	Nymphalidae	Satyrinae	Ypthima	pandocus
Ringlet	Nymphalidae	Satyrinae	Ypthima	pandocus
Taman Negara	Nymphalidae	Satyrinae	Ypthima	pandocus
Gunung Brinchang	Nymphalidae	Satyrinae	Ypthima	pandocus
Tapah Hills	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Atrophaneura	varuna
Taman Negara	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Graphium	agamemnon
Tapah Hills	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Graphium	antiphates
Taman Negara	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Graphium	antiphates
Taman Negara	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Graphium	arycles
Taman Negara	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Graphium	chironides
Taman Negara	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Graphium	evemon
Tapah Hills	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Graphium	sarpedon
Taman Negara	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Graphium	sarpedon
Tapah Hills	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Lamproptera	curius
Gap	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Meandrusa	payeni
Tapah Hills	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Pachliopta	aristolochiae
Tapah Hills	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Pachliopta	coon
Taman Negara	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Pachliopta	coon
Taman Negara	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Papilio	demoleus
Tapah Hills	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Papilio	demoleus
Tapah Hills	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Papilio	demolion
Tapah Hills	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Papilio	helenus
Taman Negara	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Papilio	helenus
Taman Negara	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Papilio	iswara
Taman Negara	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Papilio	memnon
Tapah Hills	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Papilio	memnon
Tapah Hills	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Papilio	nephelus
Taman Negara	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Papilio	nephelus
Tapah Hills	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Papilio	palinurus
Taman Negara	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Papilio	palinurus
Tapah Hills	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Papilio	polytes
Taman Negara	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Papilio	polytes
Ringlet	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Trogonoptera	brookiana
Kuala Woh	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Trogonoptera	brookiana
Taman Negara	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Troides	aeacus
Taman Negara	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Troides	helena
Tapah Hills	Papilionidae	Papilioninae	Troides	helena
Taman Negara	Pieridae	Coliadinae	Catopsilia	pomona
Tapah Hills	Pieridae	Coliadinae	Catopsilia	pomona
Taman Negara	Pieridae	Coliadinae	Catopsilia	scylla
Taman Negara	Pieridae	Coliadinae	Dercas	gobrias
Tapah Hills	Pieridae	Coliadinae	Eurema	andersonii
Taman Negara