Location: Phu Wiang National Park, Khon Kaen NE Thailand
Habitat: Lowland forest (up to around 500 a.s.l.)
Date: 31st October, 2015
Weather: Baking hot
Like my dragonfly blog I am now going to add more information regarding some of the places I visit and the butterflies that can be found (through photographs). One place I regularly visit for both butterflies and dragonflies is Phu Wiang National Park, which is around 90 kilometres west of Khon Kaen city in the northeast of Thailand. Known for its many dinosaur bones, but nothing else, it is a strange doughnut-shaped area which reaches around 600 metres at its peak. The topography of the mountain is dipteracarp and dry evergreen forest. Though a peaceful place, water is at a premium and isn't the best place in the world for dragonflies, though a few scarce species have popped up in the past. For butterflies, however, it is a great place, and at times seems alive with them with many specimens flitting around. One could almost compare it to Kaeng Krachan for sheer volume.
On this particular day, I arrived at around 8.00am and it was already baking hot. I set off up the road through the park and butterflies could be observed all along the road, feeding off dung (probably deer). About half way up there is an overflow pipe which always has moist ground underneath and houses many species. Here, I noticed my first new species for the day. It was a bright red, yellow and black specimen roosting fairly high up in the trees and a good photo was just too hard, though I do have a record shot. It turns out to be The Red-Base Jezebel, an uncommon species for Thailand, but definitely a rare one for Khon Kaen. Nearer the top, there are a number of ponds and a small, sandy-bottomed lake which is a particular favourite for butterflies. Here, there were many small species and I picked up a further three new species for my records. Highlight of the day was spotting and managing to get a half-decent shot of four different Pierrot species in one photograph. I was rather happy with that. By 4.30pm, the strong sun had disappeared behind the trees and with it, the butterflies disappeared too.
My best shots of the day:
4 in 1: The Straight Pierrot, The Banded Blue Pierrot, The Angled Pierrot and The Common Pierrot. Bet I don't see that again any time soon.
Here they are individually:
The Banded Blue Pierrot (a new species for my records)
The Angled Pierrot
The Common Pierrot
The Straight Pierrot
If you want to attract many species, simply do a big pooh in the road. Here's one an animal did earlier!
The Club Silverline ... one of two Sliverlines known at the park
The Long-Banded Silverline ... the other Silverline known to reside here
The Black Rajah - scarce here, though common in Thailand
The Indian Cupid - another first for me and definitely rare for the park
The Color Sergeant - a new sighting for the park
The Malay Baron, female feasting on fruits of the forest
The Hill Grass Yellow - fairly common
The Common Earl, female - feasting on a discarded banana
The same specimen
The Watson's Wight - first sighting for me
The Red-Spot Marquis - uncommon for Thailand but very common here.
The Small Staff Sergeant - abundant at the park
The Common Cruiser - a very common species, but always a welcome sight
The Great Mormon, female - fairly common but the females are rarely seen
... and finally, the first thing I saw - The Red-Base Jezebel. I will meet you again
I will post a full checklist of Phu Wiang NP at a later date.
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