A Trip to Nam Phong NP, Khon Kaen

Location: Nam Phong National Park, Khon Kaen NE Thailand  
Habitat: Lowland forest (up to around 300 a.s.l.)  
Date: 19th March, 2016  
Weather: Painfully hot

Well, yet another early season dragonfly hunt turned out to be a short butterfly session. By 9am it was already sweltering and I had already got through about 2 litres of water. I was searching for a specific dragonfly which I had spotted there on several occasions before ... The Golden Flangetail (Sinictinogomphus clavatus phaleratus). It is a big and beautiful dragonfly and I have a few record shots of it on my blog here. Though it is scarce here, I usually see it and want better photos. However, it had better ideas (or wasn't stupid like me) and was hiding well away from the blistering sun. That said, a few early morning butts rushed to a muddy section to get what they could before the morning sun got too hot. It is not the best place in the world as it has been pretty much destroyed by humans, but there are still a few nice species knocking about and I will return from time to time, especially as it is only 40 minutes away and free. 

Anyway, I managed to record three news species for me (and another which I don't know what it is). Though the early part of the morning was OK, by 11am everything had all but vanished. By 12pm, so had I, leaving the buffaloes to wallow in the shallow pool the remained.

Here are my best photos of the day:

The regulars ... nothing rare, but beautiful all the same.

The Spot Swordtail (a regular visitor)

 The Fivebar Swordtail

 The Lime Butterfly (seriously common, but I rarely see them puddling)

  The Lime Butterfly (... and then I see two at once)

  The Zebra Blue (common, but I don't see the female often)

  The Plains Cupid (another resident)

  The Common Rose (seriously common, as its namesake, but I rarely see the female ... soooo pale)

And now for my new additions:

 The Mango Baron (very common apparently, but I haven't seen it before)

 The Blue Pansy (blink and you will miss it - if you even see it)

  The Gray-Washed Oakblue (probably)

  The 'no idea' Butterfly (does anyone have any idea? It was very pink)

238. The Mango Baron (Euthalia aconthea gurda)

Number: 238

Family: Nymphalidae

Sub-Family: Limenitidinae

Species: Euthalia aconthea gurda  

Common name(s): The Mango Baron

Rarity: Uncommon

Habitat: Lowland Forested area (a.s.l. approximately 300m)

Province(s) / Place(s) sighted: Nam Phong National Park (Khon Kaen)

 

It is supposed to be common, found in the Mango trees in many parks, villages and gardens .... yet this is the first time I have clapped eyes on The Mango Baron. And I even got the ID wrong. I thought it was The White-Tipped Baron, which is found at nearby Phu Wiang NP. Still, even though it looks a little dull from afar, on closer inspection, it really is rather beautiful.

 

ID credit: Prasobsuk Sukkit

237. The Gray-Washed Oakblue (Arthopala aurelia)

Number: 237

Family: Lycaenidae

Sub-Family:  Theclinae

Species: Arthopala aurelia
Common name(s): The Gray-Washed Oakblue

Rarity: Uncommon

Habitat: Lowland Forested area (a.s.l. approximately 300m)

Province(s) / Place(s) sighted: Nam Phong National Park (Khon Kaen)

This species I am not 100% sure of, but it looks a good match anyway. Please advise if I am wrong. This was a very difficult species to get near as it seemed to constantly dropping into holes in the mud to avoid the sun's heat. This was the best I got.

 

236. The Blue Pansy (Juninia orithya ocyale)

Number: 236          

Family: Nymphalidae    

 Sub-Family:  Nymphalinae            

Species: Juninia orithya ocyale   

Common name(s): The Blue Pansy    

Rarity: Uncommon           

Habitat: Lowland Forested area (a.s.l. approximately 300m)     

Province(s) / Place(s) sighted: Nam Phong National Park (Khon Kaen)

 

The Blue Pansy form ocyale I have now spotted three times and never got anywhere near it. It shoots off even if you blink. It's the same as The Yellow Pansy ... two seriously tough species to get near. Fortunately, call it luck, or that fact that it was 40 degrees at 9.00am and it was too lazy to go fast and I managed to get this slightly better than a record shot. One day, I will drop upon a really lazy one and get great shots.