Euploea phaenareta

[daveuk]

Two males & a female E phaenareta eucalla. Sumbawa
Pair of E phaenareta callithoe forms. Aru
Pair of E phaenareta hollandi. Buru

[Paul K]

This is Euploea phaenareta castelnaui from peninsular Thailand.
top male collected on Koh Tao
bottom female collected on Koh Samui
It is a mangrove forest species.

This is by far the largest Euploea species and to find nice example is a challenge.

qR788ee.jpeg (76.67 KiB) Viewed 796 times

[daveuk]

Thanks Paul. Lovely to see specimens from Thailand again.Even better to have self caught ones !!

[Trehopr1]

Agreed, you have an awful lot of nice self-captures Paul !

[daveuk]

E phaenareta phaenareta pair.Ceram
E phaenareta margaritae male. Luzon

[Trehopr1]

My, Dave you have some pretty extensive holdings of these !

I recall you having quite an array of Colotis too. Then of course, there are your Stichopthalma which are (nothing short) of awesome !!

Thank you for sharing the wealth and diversity of your collection with us.

[daveuk]

My, Dave you have some pretty extensive holdings of these !

I recall you having quite an array of Colotis too. Then of course, there are your Stichopthalma which are (nothing short) of awesome !!

Thank you for sharing the wealth and diversity of your collection with us.

Thank You Trehopr.Think I mentioned before that I have never specialised. Truth is I have never seen a butterfly I didn't like or didn't want in my collection. Lucky over the years to have met some amazing lepidopterists & dealers both in person & on line. Went through & am still going through phases where I will add as many specimens that take my eye from a given genus/family which I can afford &/or collect or rear personally.

[Paul K]

Truth is I have never seen a butterfly I didn't like or didn't want in my collection.

Me either with addition of moths.

[Chuck]

ssp. heurippa, endemic to Solomon Islands.

Tennent records having seen only one in 18 months in Solomon Islands; I saw several dozen over several years' time, though captured only two. Typically, they fly along coastal dirt cliffs, just out of net reach, and are quite wary, unlike other Euploea. Rarely is a solitary individual seen, usually there are two or three. These two are from Tetepare Island, the first, and perhaps still only, specimens of the species from that island.

[daveuk]

ssp. heurippa, endemic to Solomon Islands.

Tennent records having seen only one in 18 months in Solomon Islands; I saw several dozen over several years' time, though captured only two. Typically, they fly along coastal dirt cliffs, just out of net reach, and are quite wary, unlike other Euploea. Rarely is a solitary individual seen, usually there are two or three. These two are from Tetepare Island, the first, and perhaps still only, specimens of the species from that island.

Great captures & specimens Chuck. Interesting to hear how difficult these are to net. I caught Euploea in Australia with comparive ease.

[Chuck]

Thanks Dave. It was ONE day, ONE location where I could get my net on them. I can't count the number of hours I spent on seasides trying to grab one as it came over the edge, just into net range for one second. And any time I saw one lower, as soon as I was within 3m it would take off.

They certainly do NOT act like other Euploea as I know them, at least not those in Solomon Islands where Euploea are often the easiest capture.

[daveuk]

Thanks Dave. It was ONE day, ONE location where I could get my net on them. I can't count the number of hours I spent on seasides trying to grab one as it came over the edge, just into net range for one second. And any time I saw one lower, as soon as I was within 3m it would take off.

They certainly do NOT act like other Euploea as I know them, at least not those in Solomon Islands where Euploea are often the easiest capture.

Well at least you have a couple of great specimens as a reward for your patience & tenacity Chuck. Specimens which I have to say BMNH or any other museum would love in their collections. Unique specimens indeed.

[Paul K]

Thanks Dave. It was ONE day, ONE location where I could get my net on them. I can't count the number of hours I spent on seasides trying to grab one as it came over the edge, just into net range for one second. And any time I saw one lower, as soon as I was within 3m it would take off.

They certainly do NOT act like other Euploea as I know them, at least not those in Solomon Islands where Euploea are often the easiest capture.

I must to agree with Chuck.
E. phaenareta is the hardest species of this genus to collect. It is a mangrove forest species and I never saw it feeding on flowers or being easy target as other Euploea are. I only collected 3 specimens during my time in Thailand. I spent 6 months on Koh Tao and only saw it three times where I had a chance to net fly by twice (male and female). In Koh Samui I did net one female also flying by along the stream. It is a very large butterfly and it’s impressive to see it while in flight.