Wednesday, December 3, 2008

birdwing butterfly




i was near the bukit timah nature reserve when i spied this large butterfly. normally, i do not bother about butterflies but this was an exceptionally large butterfly. i first noticed it among the lantana flowers, then it flitted on to other flowers in the vicinity. after i had photographed it, i lost it - could not find it any more.


birdwings inhabit rainforests and adults are usually glimpsed along the forest periphery. they feed upon—and are important long-range pollinators of—nectar-bearing flowers of the forest canopy, as well as terrestrial flowers, such as lantana. they are strong flyers and seek sunlit spots in which to bask.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Got such a butterfly in S'pore, meh? You sure you got the name right?

yg said...

yes, it is a large butterfly but , not being an expert, i cannot say for certain it is a birdwing. i arrived at this name by comparing it with pictures of other butterflies that are found on google images. i saw it again on my second visit of the place and when it flitted away, it went up very high, way above some tall trees.