Uncommon Characters

Some butterflies are always a familiar sight. Others don't show up

quite as often. These uncommon characters are what butterfly

chasers live for (at least me). They are the thrill on a dull and

quiet day. This is an aberrant oakblue. While the name probably

refers to the cryptic markings, it also aptly describes its habits; I was

surprised to see this forest denizen out in the open at the Zoo!

The aberrant oakblue is moderately rare in Singapore but it turns
out, after some reading up, that it can be seen in urban parks from
time to time. The Malay Tailed Judy, on the other hand, is confined
to the forest. It has an almost annoying habit of continuously hopping
from leaf to leaf, turning each time it lands.

Not all butterflies have to be rare in order to qualify as novelties.
Some are plain hard to spot! The saturn, for example, is a perfect
mimic of a dried leaf, complete with blotches of colour here and
there. I was lucky that this male opted for a green perch, otherwise
it would have gone unnoticed amongst the leaf litter.

The last thrill I caught recently was a small, fast flying, almost
inconspicuous lycaenid. It stays in the sanctuary of the nature
reserves, but today I chanced upon one at... the Zoo. (again, yes.)
Cornelian is actually a type of semi-precious stone, the red variety of
chalcedony. The male sports a bright red upperside, reminiscent of a
cornelian stone.

I would love to have one or two more butterflies to ramble about but
rare ones don't come easily. It is always amazing to see a new
species or a rare one, but these encounters are usually just as
uncommon as the insects themselves. No, these four aren't the most
novel that I've shot but they still made my heart thump as my lens
went in and out, trying to focus on the rarity in front.