nest building.

 

Weaver ants or Green ants (genus Oecophylla) pulling together young mango leaves to build a nest on my mango tree.

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Mango trees are widely grown in south east Asia, and the weaver ants (also called green ants) are commonly found on them.

It is fascinating to see the ants build their nest. They pull and bend young mango leaves, and weave them together using larval silk. This photo shows single ants holding the leaves in position. They also form ‘chains’ to achieve this when the space between the leaves is too wide.

Once the leaves are held together, other worker ants retrieve larvae from existing nests and manipulate the larvae to excrete silk for the weaving. I have seen nests appear on my mango tree, especially when young leaves grow after the wintering months (November ~ February). The nest is usually completed within 24 hours. I was fortunate to catch this one in progress.

These ants don’t have stings, but their powerful jaws will give a painful bite. Wikipedia information on weaver ants.

Golden Birdwing {troides amphrysus}

 

Golden Birdwing feeding on nectar of the lantana. Photographed at Kipandi Butterfly Park.

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Golden Birdwing {troides amphrysus}. A common butterfly in Malaysia, Sumatra and Java. It is usually among the first butterflies to be seen in the early morning, and the last to rest in the afternoon. The wingspan is 15~18 cm.
[ More information at ButterflyCorner.net. ].

Great Mormon Swallowtail

 

The Great Mormon Swallowtail {Papilio memnon} photographed at Kipandi Butterfly Park.

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The Great Mormon Swallowtail { Papilio memnon } is a common South-Asian butterfly and is widely distributed in 13 subspecies (4 male and 9 female forms). This is a large butterfly with contrasting colors. The wingspan is 12 ~15 cm (4.7 ~ 5.9 inches).

The male never has a tail, and is deep blue to black. It may or may not have red streak on the forewing. The female may be tailed (alcanor) or tailess (butlerianus, polymnestoroides). The upperside forewing is ground colour sepia with greyish white streak. The upperside hindwing is blue-black with 5 to 7 yellow or white discal patches. It is polymorphic and with mimetic forms. ( Excellent information is available on Wikipedia.)

This photo was taken at the Kipandi Butterfly Park, 36 km from Kota Kinabalu. It shows a male fluttering and tugging at the lantana. The butterfly and flower were vibrating quite vigorously.

Some attempts at making digital batik. 😀

Tecomaria capensis {cape honeysuckle}

 

Tecomaria capensis {cape honeysuckle} at Tun Fuad Stephens Park, Kota Kinabalu.

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Here is a bees fight sequence, photographed at Tun Fuad Stephens Park, Kota Kinabalu.

Smaller bee zooms in on the intruder.

 

Smaller bee ‘climb’ onto the intruder, preventing it from flying.

 

Both bees drop away from the flower.

 

The larger bee is released and flies away.

Neurothemis fluctuans {Grasshawk dragonfly}

 

Neurothemis fluctuans {Grasshawk dragonfly}

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Neurothemis fluctuans {Grasshawk dragonfly}

 

Neurothemis fluctuans {Grasshawk dragonfly}

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Golden Birdwing {troides amphrysus}

 

Golden Birdwing photographed at Kipandi Butterfly Park.

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Golden Birdwing {troides amphrysus, female}. A common butterfly in Malaysia, Sumatra and Java. It is usually among the first butterflies to be seen in the early morning, and the last to rest in the afternoon. The wingspan is 15~18 cm.
[ More information at ButterflyCorner.net. ]

malay lacewing {cethosia hypsea hypsina}

Malay Lacewing at Kipandi Butterfly Park.

A beautiful butterfly with wings of orange and red surrounded by broad black borders. The wings are scalloped, giving the hind-wings its sawtooth-like edges. The undersides are orange and red with white fasciae and black spots forming an intricate pattern.

This photo was taken at Kipandi Butterfly Park which is 36 km from Kota Kinabalu City and 700m (2,100 feet) above sea level. It shows a lacewing on the lantana. (There are quite a number of subspecies with different patterns and colours.)

Wikipedia: Genus cethosia .

Butterflies of Singapore (blog): Excellent information here .

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delicate wings

Dragonfly in my garden.

~ B l a c k m a g i c~

Malay Lacewing II {cethosia hypsea hypsina}

Malay Lacewing butterfly feeding on lantana. Photographed at Kipandi Butterfly Park.