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Butterflies of the Forbidden Kingdom - China (1 Viewer)

Brilliant, many thanks again Dev, I seem to have just overlooked Araragi sugiyamai as photos now seem to be available on web.

Hopefully this one straight forward.

Image 0732 Araschnia prorsoides Tangjiahae 29-5-18

I really wish it was easy 8-P

I had long looks on the handbook and it matches best with Araschnia doris
 
Species No : 24 - Old World Swallowtail

Hot off the Plate from my local patch. The bright yellow color of this species is straight give away compared to the pale Asian Swallowtail. First saw it a week ago but just a glimpse. Two days later, i can say affirmative with prolonged views of two diff individuals.

Common Name : Old World Swallowtail
Scientific Name : Papilio machaon
Chinese Name : 金凤蝶
Distribution : Throughout China

Attached photos are from Jiangxi province, the individuals from Shanghai to follow.
 

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I really wish it was easy 8-P

I had long looks on the handbook and it matches best with Araschnia doris

Hi Dev, I must say i am surprised, I have searched for images of this species that accord with mine but find none. Photos of specimens of spring brood doris here from Sichuan dont look like mine.

Conversely i have no difficulty finding examples identified as Araschnia prorsoides which are very close, eg here. Are we sure there isn't an error in the BoC? eg. numbering?

cheers
Dave
 
Hi Dev, I must say i am surprised, I have searched for images of this species that accord with mine but find none. Photos of specimens of spring brood doris here from Sichuan dont look like mine.

Conversely i have no difficulty finding examples identified as Araschnia prorsoides which are very close, eg here. Are we sure there isn't an error in the BoC? eg. numbering?

cheers
Dave


Probably that was an error on my part. The species which is illustrated in the handbook is a specimen from Yunnan province which lacks the discals and the subsequent dots between the discals and the submargin on the hindwing.

You were absolutely right about the ID, this aint A.doris.

Sorry abt it.
 
Probably that was an error on my part. The species which is illustrated in the handbook is a specimen from Yunnan province which lacks the discals and the subsequent dots between the discals and the submargin on the hindwing.

You were absolutely right about the ID, this aint A.doris.

Sorry abt it.

Great, glad we agree on that one.

We are now left with a series of those confusing Limenitidinae of various genera. I suspect most can only be confidently identified with clear shots of both uppers and underside, which often proved impossible in the circumstances, ie quickly snapping butterflies while birding.

This is one of the few where I do have both so hopefully you can confirm these as Aldania thisbe?

Image 0671 Tangjiahae 29-5-18 dorsal
Image 0675 Tangjiahae 29-5-18 ventral
 

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OK, lets see how well I did. Pics of the common butterflies (and moth) that can be seen here in the Panjin, Liaoning area right now. Snaps taken while I was birding yesterday. The first one I left unlabeled as I keep going back and forth on it.
 

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Great, glad we agree on that one.

We are now left with a series of those confusing Limenitidinae of various genera. I suspect most can only be confidently identified with clear shots of both uppers and underside, which often proved impossible in the circumstances, ie quickly snapping butterflies while birding.

This is one of the few where I do have both so hopefully you can confirm these as Aldania thisbe?

Image 0671 Tangjiahae 29-5-18 dorsal
Image 0675 Tangjiahae 29-5-18 ventral

Sorry, i'm late again.

Handbook doesn't include Aldania thisbe. Probably, its a taxonomical thing? It has Neptis thisbe though and the illustration matches with your photo.
 
OK, lets see how well I did. Pics of the common butterflies (and moth) that can be seen here in the Panjin, Liaoning area right now. Snaps taken while I was birding yesterday. The first one I left unlabeled as I keep going back and forth on it.

Hi Owen,

1. Painted Lady
2. Hummingbird Hawkmoth (not sure exactly which species) but certainly its the same one i'm seeing here in autumn
3. Indian Red Admiral
4. Small White
5. Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow

And the last one is Asian Comma.
 
Hot off the Plate from my local patch. The bright yellow color of this species is straight give away compared to the pale Asian Swallowtail. First saw it a week ago but just a glimpse. Two days later, i can say affirmative with prolonged views of two diff individuals.

Common Name : Old World Swallowtail
Scientific Name : Papilio machaon
Chinese Name : 金凤蝶
Distribution : Throughout China

Attached photos are from Jiangxi province, the individuals from Shanghai to follow.

Here are the two swallowtails on the same day.
 

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Sorry, i'm late again.

Handbook doesn't include Aldania thisbe. Probably, its a taxonomical thing? It has Neptis thisbe though and the illustration matches with your photo.

Hi Dan

Yes it will be, the genus Neptis sensu lato has been split into numerous genera by some authors. I will include authority for next few to make alignment easier.

Many thanks for confirmation

Here are two more Limentids in Neptis sl
Image 0597 Neptis cf philyra Ménétriés, 1858, nr Tangjiahae 28-5-18 a single poor shot of damaged insect, I'd be impressed if you can come up with a confident name on this so please don't waste much time on it.

Images 0633 & 0635 fit well with Athyma sulpitia (Cramer, 1779), Tangjiahae 29-5-18. Unfortunately underside shot at acute angle but might be enough.

cheers
Dave
 

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Hi Dave,

As you predicted, the first Neptis is really difficult. Despite your warning, i spent the weekend over several reference materials and could not come close to anything.

The second one looks good for Limenitis sulpitia. Handbook doesn't list Athyma sulpitia.
 
Many thanks Dan, much appreciated.

Next two both Neptis types, but I think the Limenitis has always been in this genus.
Unfortunately dorsal shots only, but in both cases i think I have come up with reasonably likely names.

0747 Limenitis amphyssa Ménétriés, 1859 Tangjiahae 29 May 2018
0755 Neptis ananta Moore, 1858 Tangjiahae 29 May 2018

cheers
Dave
 

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Many thanks Dan, much appreciated.

Next two both Neptis types, but I think the Limenitis has always been in this genus.
Unfortunately dorsal shots only, but in both cases i think I have come up with reasonably likely names.

0747 Limenitis amphyssa Ménétriés, 1859 Tangjiahae 29 May 2018
0755 Neptis ananta Moore, 1858 Tangjiahae 29 May 2018

cheers
Dave

Agreed on both ID.
 
Agreed on both ID.

Excellent, it would be a shame not to be able to name examples where I got reasonably good photos!

So we come to the last two!

First one just a dorsal shot, but reasonably confident
Image 0784 Limenitis helmanni Tangjiahae 29 May 208

Second one ventral view only, and much less sure of name here, might be same as one of the species I got just dorsal shots of, but i don't think so.
Image 0724 Neptis cf manasa Tangjiahae 29 May 2018

cheers
Dave
 

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Excellent, it would be a shame not to be able to name examples where I got reasonably good photos!

So we come to the last two!

First one just a dorsal shot, but reasonably confident
Image 0784 Limenitis helmanni Tangjiahae 29 May 208

Second one ventral view only, and much less sure of name here, might be same as one of the species I got just dorsal shots of, but i don't think so.
Image 0724 Neptis cf manasa Tangjiahae 29 May 2018

cheers
Dave

Hi Dave, sorry again. The handbook was with a friend and i could not refer to it.

I concur with the L.helmanni, suprisingly handbook doesn't have sichuan as its range. The range is described northerly in the handbook raging, Heilongjiang, Hebei, Beijing to Zhejiang.

The Neptis species was tricky, i could not narrow it down to any species but the closest is N.manasa.
 
Hi Dave, sorry again. The handbook was with a friend and i could not refer to it.

I concur with the L.helmanni, suprisingly handbook doesn't have sichuan as its range. The range is described northerly in the handbook raging, Heilongjiang, Hebei, Beijing to Zhejiang.

The Neptis species was tricky, i could not narrow it down to any species but the closest is N.manasa.

No problem Dev, you have been endlessly helpful, it is much appreciated.

So that's it, a total of 38 species identified and 5 remaining unidentified.

Job done, I look forward to seeing postings of your own observations.

best wishes
Dave
 
Species No : 25 - Chinese Luehdorfia

It's been a while, haven't done much butterfly watching off late but with spring in action, i decided to give a try at some of the spring butterflies. While going through my Handbook, i stumbled upon the Chinese endemic "Leuhdorfia chinensis" and the illustration in the handbook had the specimen from Nanjing. With Nanjing, only an hour by the high speed train, i thought i could give a try at them without much info on the habitat or whereabouts. The plan was to hit my usual jaunts in Nanjing, Botanical Garden and Laoshan forest farm (a mythical place to see breeding Fairy Pitta).

To my luck, i found several Chinese Luehdorfia's at Laoshan Forest farm, apparently this area has the major population of this species and infact they have a museum specifically for the Luehdorfia. Din't have the luxury to explore the museum after a heavy vegetarian lunch at the Shizi Ling temple.

Common Name : Chinese Luehdorfia
Scientific Name : Luehdorfia chinensis
Chinese Name : 中华虎凤蝶
Distribution : Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hubei, Shanxi

Apparently there are two ssp, the one is Jiangsu is L.c.chinensis, and the other one is L.c.leei which is found in Henan and Shaanxi provinces.
 

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Species No : 25 - Anthocharis bambusarum

This is another new species and a spring speciality, picked up during the Leuhdorfia adventure in Nanjing.

Common Name : -
Scientific Name : Anthocharis bambusarum
Chinese Name : 橙翅襟粉蝶
Distribution : Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Henan, Shaanxi
 

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Species No : 26 - Anthocharis scolymus

When i thought butterflies in China were much easier than birds, came the reality check in the form of this one. Literally, kept me at the edge for several weeks before finally nailing the ID. There were few individuals seen along the Shanghai coast during summer and autumn but overall a very scarce species especially the male.

Common Name : Yellow Tip
Scientific Name : Anthocharis scolymus
Chinese Name : 黄尖襟粉蝶
Distribution : Heilongjiang, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Henan, Hebei, Hubei, Shanxi, Fujian.
 

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