InsectNet forum

A male H. g roepstorffi (Andamans)
Pair of H. g vossi (Nias)
Male & two female of H. g glaucippe (Viet-Nam)

Wow !!

Dave you hit the jackpot on these.

I have never seen anything like that first subspecies from the Andamans. Is it rarely seen or offered ?

Well done indeed....

Beautiful species which inhabit also Thailand and Laos.

I see them every day now in my garden in Chiang Mai as this species is in season, they love the red Ixora flowers.

Adam.

PS. Good to see you contributing, Paul

Trehopr1 wrote: Thu Jun 09, 2022 3:40 am Wow !!

Dave you hit the jackpot on these.

I have never seen anything like that first subspecies from the Andamans. Is it rarely seen or offered ?

Well done indeed....

Thank You. Glad you like them. Hebomoia have always been a firm favourite of mine & I have been able to get a few subspecies over time. I only have a male H g roepstorffi from Andamans which I got from Chuck Ianni in Ohio. The H g vossi are also from Chuck. Both these subspecies are not offered very often. I believe that the Andamans are one of the most inhospitable places on earth. Few westerners visit there. Chuck also mentioned in one of the last communications I had with him that Nias Island has sadly become just as inhospitable recently. Feel very lucky to have both these subspecies for that reason.

Paul K wrote: Thu Jun 09, 2022 5:39 am Beautiful species which inhabit also Thailand and Laos.

I sadly don't have specimens of Hebomoia from either of those two countries

adamcotton wrote: Thu Jun 09, 2022 8:06 am I see them every day now in my garden in Chiang Mai as this species is in season, they love the red Ixora flowers.

Adam.

PS. Good to see you contributing, Paul

Envy you living is such a wonderful part of the world Adam.
I have only seen this species on the wing in captivity. Hardly the same as having them in your garden !!

Another interesting fact about H. glaucippe is that the larvae mimic green pit vipers, Trimeresurus spp.
See for an example

Adam.

daveuk wrote: Thu Jun 09, 2022 8:18 am I believe that the Andamans are one of the most inhospitable places on earth. Few westerners visit there. Chuck also mentioned in one of the last communications I had with him that Nias Island has sadly become just as inhospitable recently. Feel very lucky to have both these subspecies for that reason.

I am not sure the Andamans are so dangerous as there are a lot of diving tourists there. But specimens from there are indeed rare in collection as it is a part of India + a National Park, so collecting is very difficult there. Congrats !

I have seen some Hebomoia flying in Bali and Koh Phiphi, very fast and impressive. Not easy to catch at all.

adamcotton wrote: Thu Jun 09, 2022 10:52 am Another interesting fact about H. glaucippe is that the larvae mimic green pit vipers, Trimeresurus spp.
See for an example

Adam.

Thank You Adam. I did not know that. Judging by that photo they do so quite convincingly!!

wollastoni wrote: Thu Jun 09, 2022 12:20 pm

daveuk wrote: Thu Jun 09, 2022 8:18 am I believe that the Andamans are one of the most inhospitable places on earth. Few westerners visit there. Chuck also mentioned in one of the last communications I had with him that Nias Island has sadly become just as inhospitable recently. Feel very lucky to have both these subspecies for that reason.

I am not sure the Andamans are so dangerous as there are a lot of diving tourists there. But specimens from there are indeed rare in collection as it is a part of India + a National Park, so collecting is very difficult there. Congrats !

I have seen some Hebomoia flying in Bali and Koh Phiphi, very fast and impressive. Not easy to catch at all.

Thank You Olivier. I had forgotten that the Andamans come under Indian jurisdiction. Glad to hear they have opened up for some tourism anyway.
Not seen any Hebomoia on my travels sadly. Have heard they are extremely fast fliers & difficult to net.

daveuk wrote: Thu Jun 09, 2022 2:51 pm Glad to hear they have opened up for some tourism anyway.

Unfortunately I heard the badly managed tourism on these small islands is a disaster for the endemic treasures of the Andamans.
+ more and more Indian settlers are going there. A future Phuket... paradise turned in hell...

Males do mud-puddle, which is probably how most good quality specimens are collected.

Adam.

daveuk wrote: Thu Jun 09, 2022 8:21 am

Paul K wrote: Thu Jun 09, 2022 5:39 am Beautiful species which inhabit also Thailand and Laos.

I sadly don't have specimens of Hebomoia from either of those two countries

Thailand and Laos have also ssp glaucippe and the specimens are identical to yours from Vietnam.

I agree with Wollastoni regarding conditions in the Andaman Islands.
Travel is difficult , usually from Calcutta, then getting from island to island is slow, (over 500 islands) but the rewards are worth while.
I had a few months there a few years ago and my collection benefited.
Diving there is OK, but the world has much better places for divers. I think it will be a long time before it becomes like Phuket.
Colon

To cherish this fantastic genus Hebomoia, we should remember one amazing species detanii from Peleng island.

I wrote small articles on this species years ago. Hope you find interesting.

The story of a great explorer --- “Boys be adventurous!” PART 1
https://bsj.blog.ss-blog.jp/2012-03-20

The story of a great explorer --- “Boys be adventurous!” PART 2
https://bsj.blog.ss-blog.jp/2012-04-16

mokky wrote: Fri Jun 10, 2022 2:11 am To cherish this fantastic genus Hebomoia, we should remember one amazing species detanii from Peleng

Thank You. I will read these articles.

Hebomoia leucippe detanii is a fantastic species

Here are some of my specimens.

You know, there are just some species of butterflies
(like this one) where one would almost have to have a "drawer" full !

I think Phoebis avelleneda and Zerene eurydice equally
qualify for "full drawer" status whenever possible.

Superb specimens Dave !

Trehopr1 wrote: Fri Jun 10, 2022 6:29 pm You know, there are just some species of butterflies
(like this one) where one would almost have to have a "drawer" full !

I think Phoebis avelleneda and Zerene eurydice equally
qualify for "full drawer" status whenever possible.

Superb specimens Dave !

Thank you & I absolutely agree!!

Pairs of Hebomoia glaucippe formosana from Taiwan & Hebomoia glaucippe aturia from Malaysia