Monday, February 8, 2010

a butterfly trying hot chilli.

 

  

  

  

  

  

Junonia almana javana (Peacock Pansy)

I never see this butterfly in our garden before. Luck was with us last month when a beautiful  Papilio helenus swallowtail paid us a visit, perched at the tip of lemon plant long enough for a snap. But the encounter with peacock pansy was in a different setting. It was almost 7.00pm. The sun was enjoying the last half an hour, showering golden rays.  It was at that moment that I noticed this beautiful butterfly resting on chili leaf. This time, peacock pansy stay long enough for multiple shots. They both are hot, peacock pansy and chili itself.

Google helped me  for identification. A peacock is a beautiful bird, and a peacock pansy is equally beautiful in the world of butterflies. I hope it will return, bringing her  friends as well....

~bangchik
Putrajaya, Malaysia.



source of reference: Butterflies of Malaysia,

Info
from google search
  • Upperside rich orange-yellow. Fore wing with a pale dusky and a much darker short transverse bar with lateral jet-black marginal lines across cell, another somewhat similar bar defining the discocellulars ; costal margin, an inner and an outer subterminal line, and a terminal line dusky black; a large minutely white-centred ocellus with an inner slender and outer black ring on disc in interspace 2; two similar but smaller geminate subapical ocelli with an obscure pale spot above them and a short oblique bar connecting them to the black on the costa. Hind wing: a small minutely white-centred and very slenderly black-ringed discal ocellus in interspace 2, with a very much larger pale yellow and black-ringed ocellus above it spreading over interspaces 4, 5 and 6, the centre of this ocellus inwardly brownish orange, outwardly bluish black, with two minute white spots in vertical order between the two colours ; finally postdiscal subterminal and terminal black sinuous lines.
  • Underside ochraceous brown, very variable. In most specimens the ceil of the fore wing is crossed by three dark sinuous bands, the outermost along the discocellulars ; these are very faint in some ; both fore and hind wings crossed by a basal and a discal pale sinuous line, the latter margined outwardly by a dark shade, which is traversed by an obscure somewhat obsolescent row of dark spots, and outwardly bounded by a subterminal sinuous line, the dark shade in many cases spreading on the fore wing to the terminal edge of the wing ; on the hind wing the subterminal line meets the discal in an acute angle at the tornus. Antennae dark brown; head, thorax and abdomen more or less orange-brown ; paler beneath.



~ bangchik and kakdah
  Putrajaya, MALAYSIA
 

19 comments:

  1. That's a gorgeous butterfly, Bangchik. You have capture it well. Based on your description, maybe this butterfly has just came out of its chrysalis?

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  2. Oh, isn't it just beautiful. I love the pattern on its wings. Like eyes looking back at you. It is always so exciting when we can capture in pictures something new. Beautiful Pictures Bangchik !

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  3. Very nice post Bangchik. I like the pics very much :)

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  4. Oh those EYES!! Beautiful photos Bangchik!! What a gorgeous butterfly! ;>) A joy to see!

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  5. I just love the patterns and the detail in each of those beautiful butterflies wings. Its great when you find a new visitor in the garden and Bangchik you have captured their fine detail so well.

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  6. As others have observed, a gorgeous butterfly and excellent photos. We don't see these exotic beauties here, and of course we're months from butterflies of any kind. Seeing yours just cheers me right up.

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  7. What a beautiful butterfly :)

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  8. What a beauty Bangchik! Your wonderful photos really give us a chance for a good look at this little treasure :)

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  9. She's a beauty Bangchik, and you captured some gorgeous photos of her. I hope she does bring her friends. She so bright and sunny, she makes me smile.

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  10. That's a beauty! It's allways lovely to hav butterflies in the garden

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  11. ...You are so lucky to capture it on camera. These fly too fast in my garden.

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  12. Great photos, and excellent information;-) I like the title of your post!

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  13. What a beautiful visitor! Good shot Bangchik.

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  14. What a coincidence, i saw this one first time in lahore last month. Lovely shots.

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  15. Blogging friends and gardeners, thanks again for your regular visits and comments.

    The butterfly seemed to be resting, so I really had ample time to get the camera and snapped pictures from many angles. It gave two poses: one with wings spread wide and the other wings folded up. Time also was another important factor, because it was rather late. She may lose the way home and stay up in our garden just for the night. The next morning, she had gone..

    Agreeably, the butterfly is really gorgeous, bright coloured with delightful marks and patches. The pattern is a real work of art.

    Now we know, peacock pansy can also be found in Lahore.... or maybe lands beyond Asia too.

    Cheers, Happy gardening.
    ~bangchik

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  16. What a stunning creature - they don't live long, but at least its beauty will be preserved forever on your blog!

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  17. JGH
    Yea, they dont live long. Their visits to my garden were mostly short too, a minute or two and they were gone. Only this peacock pansy stayed longest, enough to click multiple shot from many angles. ~bangchik

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  18. I'm so glad that butterfly decided to stick around a little while, so that you could take pictures :D

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  19. Kyna... she did stick around, I don't think for the pose but more of being tired and wanting to call it a day. I just grabbed the chance to do multiple shots like press photographer.. haha. ~bangchik

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