Butterflies of Burnihat, Assam (part-2)

In this part I will try to cover a butterfly group called skippers which are found here. Skippers are small butterflies belongs to Family Hesperiidae and in India around 320 species are found. They sometimes mistaken for moths and they differ from true butterflies in  body morphology and small angular wings. They are rapid fighters, hence the name skippers. Most of them are active during early and late hours of the day. They can be seen on Lantana and other bushes during early morning and on cloudy days. Not all of them are very attractive as other butterflies. Most of the skippers are difficult to identify by just one side view, and some can be identified up to species level only from capturing and doing close observation. Here in Burnihat I able to document around 20 species till now.

The data on wingspan and status of these species I derived from the book 'The Book of Indian Butterflies' by Mr. Isaac Kehimkar. Status of a species described as common, locally common, not common, not rare and rare.

1. Grass Demon (Udaspes folus)

I found this one in the campus in rainy season several times. Can be seen on Lantana flowers or perching on some bush.
Wingspan : 40-48mm

Status : Not Uncommon

UP

UN

2. Indian Skipper (Spialia galba)

A small skipper, mainly found on grasses and herbs. May be common, but due to its small size I found only couple of times here.

Wingspan : 20-27mm

Status : Common

3. Common Redeye (Matapa aria)
Medium sized brown skipper with dashing red eye. Saw only once roadside on Lantana. Known to remain hidden among bamboo thickets during daytime and can be seen along road or paths in early morning and dusk. But I found this one stayed on that Lantana bush almost for entire day, may be due to heavy cloudy conditions prevailing on that day.

Wingspan : 40-55mm

Status : Common

4. Redeye spp (Matapa spp)
This is another Red eye spp. spotted here only for a while among thick bushes on hilly side of the campus. Species yet to be confirmed.
wingspan: n/a
status: n/a

5. Common Snow Flat (Tagiades japetus)
Flats, unlike other skippers hod their wings spread flat open. They are rapid fliers. This one is the largest among other flats found here.
Wingspan : 45-50mm
Status : Not Rare

6. Water Snow Flat (Tagiades litigiosa)
Spotted only few times here in hilly side of the campus.
Wingspan : 37-44mm
Status : Not Rare

7. Common Small Flat (Sarangesa dasahara)
Smallest one among other flats found here. Spotted fairly good number of times.
Wingspan : 26-35mm
Status : Common

8. Fulvous Pied Flat (Pseudocoladenia dan)
Common among flats found here. Can be seen on Lantana and other shrubs roadside. In first week of November this year seeing them in very large number. Almost 18-20 of them found on roadside bushes when walked distance about half an kilometre.
Wingspan : 40-46mm
Status : Common

9. Chestnut Bob (Iambrix salsala)
Common skipper in the campus. Can be seen on roadside bushes early morning.
wingspan: 26-30mm
status: Common

10. Indian Palm Bob (Suastus gremius)
wingspan: 32-45mm
status: Common

11. Dark Palm Dart (Telicota bambusae)
wingspan: 33-36mm
status: Common

12. Bush Hopper (Ampittia dioscorides)
Another common skipper in the campus. Can be seen on grasses very early in the morning. Once saw egg laying on ferns which were plenty around the pond.
wingspan: 22-28mm
status: Locally Common

UN

UP

13. Tiger Hopper (Ochus subvittatus)
A rare skipper to spot. Only once spotted in hilly side of the campus.
wingspan: 22-25mm
status: Not rare

14. Pigmy Scrub Hopper (Aeromachus pygmaeus)
A small skipper seen on grasses in open field.
wingspan: 20-22mm
status: Common

15. Moore's Ace (Halpe porus)

Seen few times in the campus. Can be seen on roadside bushes basking with open wings early morning.
wingspan: 32mm
status: Not rare

16. Forest Hopper (Astictopterus jama)
A large blackish colored skipper seen few times just after rainy season in hilly side of the campus.
wingspan: around
status: N/A

17. Restricted Demon (Notocrypta curvifascia)

A large skipper spotted rarely. Once spotted at hilly side of the campus.

wingspan: 38-50mm

status: Common

Will keep on updating with newer species documented.

All the images of butterflies of Burnihat can also be viewed here -
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.641810802517970.1073741830.100000671690875&type=1&l=2ec0e567f4
Thank you for viewing,
Ganesh Hegde

Butterflies of Burnihat, Assam (part-1)

Butterflies are the most attractive creatures of insect world. Butterfly watching is one of the popular hobbies in the world. Being the colourful insects, they catch the attention of the people easily by their glowing colours and their movement patterns. Their size varies from species to species from a few mm to more than 150mm. In India there are about 1500 species of butterflies.

To say a few words about the campus in Burnihat, lies in jurisdiction of both Assam and Meghalaya states and is situated in a valley with small hilly tracts on both sides. A small part of the campus lies on one of the hills which comes under Meghalaya state jurisdiction. The average altitude of the place is around 70m from MSL. The campus remains hot and humid most of the year except in winter. Most of the campus area is plain and remains waterlogged in rainy season. There is a pond within the campus and surrounding area is covered by marshy grasses and some trees. A small area of the campus is on hilly tract and is mainly covered by trees and thick lantana. There is a high human pressure on the area by the settlements all around the campus. This includes mainly grazing and browsing by cattle and goats, collection of herbs and ferns by local people, catching fish in waterlogged grasslands and periodic weeding by the academy.

North Eastern India is considered as paradise for butterflies and more than 50 % of Indian butterfly species are found here. In our campus despite of disturbance on vegetation, more than 50 species of the butterflies are found.

Life cycle of a butterfly consist of 4 distinct life stages: egg, caterpillar, pupa and adult. Most butterfly species are host specific and lay eggs on few selected plant species on which those eggs hatch and caterpillars feed. It undergoes pupa stage to convert into beautiful adult butterfly. Many species show seasonal variation with dry season and wet season forms in which they morphologically differ with each other. 

In this first part I try to cover some butterfly species which are commonly found here.

(WSF-wet season form, DSF-dry season form, UP-upper wing view, UN-under wing view)

1. Common Grass Yellow (Eurema hecabe)

It is a small yellow butterfly, very active during day time and commonly found in the campus. Flies near the ground and can be seen on the flowers of lantana, small grasses and herbs.

Size : 40-50mm

Family : Pieridae (Whites and Yellows)

Status : Common

WSF

2.Common Emigrant (Catopsilia pomona)

They are another common butterfly found here. Bigger than grass yellows and found on flowers of almost all shrubs and trees of the campus. They have different color variations.

Size : 55-80mm

Family : Pieridae (Whites and Yellows)

Status : Common

3. Mottled Emigrant (Catopsilia pyranthe)

This species looks like common emigrant from a distance. They are also seen plenty in number in the campus.

Size : 50-70mm

Family : Pieridae (Whites and Yellows)

Status : Common

4. Dark-Branded bushbrown (Mycalesis mineus)

UN, WSF

UP, WSF

Mostly found in bushes in moist places under the shade.

Size : 50-70mm

Family : Pieridae (Whites and Yellows)

Status : Common

5. Grey Pansy (Junonia atlites)

UP

Common butterfly. 5 out of 6 pansy butterflies distributed in India are spotted till now. This one is a common and abundant among them.

Can be seen among lantana and other bushes along roadside.

Size : 55-65mm

Family : Nymphalidae (Brush-footed butterflies)

Status : Locally Common

UN

6. Lemon Pansy (Junonia lemonias)

Less abundant compared to grey and peacock pansy. More abundant towards hilly parts of the campus.

Size : 40-60mm

Family : Nymphalidae (Brush-footed butterflies)

Status : Common

7. Peacock Pansy (Junonia almana)

UP, WSF

Another common and abundant pansy butterfly in the campus. It has a distinct dry season form. Abundant both in open and hilly parts.

Size : 60-65mm

Family : Nymphalidae (Brush-footed butterflies)

Status : Common

UN, WSF

DSF

8. Chocolate Pansy (Junonia iphita)
Larger of all pansies. Abundant in wooded and hilly part of the campus.

Size : 55-80mm

Family : Nymphalidae (Brush-footed butterflies)

Status : Common

9. Yellow Pansy (Junonia hierta)

Rare among other pansies seen here. Seen only in some part of the year from July to Septermber.

Size : 45-60mm

Family : Nymphalidae (Brush-footed butterflies)

Status : Common

10. Psyche (Leptosia nina) 

Another common butterfly in the campus. Flight is slow and near to the ground. Visits flowers of herbs and shrubs.

Size : 35-50mm

Family : Pieridae (Whites and Yellows)

Status : Common

11. Medus brown/Nigger (Orsotriaena medus)

Confined to well wooded moist areas like other bushbrowns. Flight among bushes. Sesonal variation present.

Size : 45-55 mm

Family : Nymphalidae (Brush-footed butterflies)

Status : Locally common

WSF

 12. Golden Birdwing (Troides aeacus)
One of the largest butterfly. More common during rainy season. Can be seen sailing above 3-5m height. Visits flowers of Lantana and other trees. On move all the time, while nectaring also never sits. 

Size : 119-188 mm

Family : Papilionidae (Swallowtails)

Status : Not rare

Male, UP

Male, UN

Female, UP

Female, UN

13.  Eastern Striped Albatross (Appias olferna)

Male, UP, WSF

Strong flier. Visits flowers in open areas. Can be seen basking in early morning.
Size : 55-65 mm

Family : Pieridae (Whites and Yellows)

Status : Uncommon

Male, UN, WSF

female UN, WSF

14. Common Four-Ring (Ypthima huebneri)

Small butterflies seen on bushes. Seasonal variation present.

Size : 30-40 mm

Family : Nymphalidae (Brush-footed butterflies)

Status : Common

WSF

15. Common Five-Ring (Ypthima baldus)

WSF

Similar to fourring. Little strong flight than others. Has sesonal variation.

Size : 32-48 mm

Family : Nymphalidae (Brush-footed butterflies)

Status : Common

WSF

In upcoming parts I will try to cover the rest.
All the images of butterflies of Burnihat can also be viewed here -
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.641810802517970.1073741830.100000671690875&type=1&l=2ec0e567f4
Thank you for viewing,
Ganesh Hegde