Varirata NP – May 2015

Araminta and I made a trip to Varirata NP in May 2015. We saw some great birds – including another sighting of the Forest Bittern.

Black-capped Lory Lorius lory erythrothorax

Blue-winged Kookaburra Dacelo leachii

Hooded Pitohui Pitohui dichrous

Forest Bittern Zonerodius heliosylus

Spangled Drongo Dicrurus bracteatus carbonarius

 An unidentified Katydid. It was huge – 15+cm in length.

A large unidentified grasshopper.

An unidentified tree with the most amazing purple colouration to its new growth.

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Butterflies in Varirata NP

A fortnight ago I took some friends to Varirata National Park. There were six of us and most were not really keen birders so its not surprising that we saw nothing new. I didn’t get any photos of birds but I did get a good picture of a new butterfly species: Lamprolenis nitida. It has no common name but the latin species name means “bright” or “shining” and refers to the metallic blue/green sheen present on the upperside of the wings – particularly in the male. Michael Parson’s Butterflies of New Guinea refers to this species as “rare, generally, but [it] may be occasional to common locally.” The larvae feed on Bambusa sp. (Bamboo). I did not have my Macro lens with me but used my Canon 1100-400mm and I think the shot worked well.

Way back in December I took my daughter up to Varirata. Again this was not a serious birding etc trip & I didn’t even take my Canon with me. I did see a nice specimen of the Red Lacewing Cethosia cydippe damasippe and took a few pics with my phone – so please excuse the lack of quality!

 

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Cairns Holiday 2013 #2

As well as enjoying the birds, I managed to find a few butterflies – despite it being winter & the fact that the weather was not very cooperative.

A sunny morning at Cattana Wetlands near Yorkey’s Knob where we were staying produced the following:

The Common Oakblue Arhopala micale

Yellow Palm Dart Cephrenes trichopepla

Wide-brand Grass-dart Suniana sunias

Common Grass Blue Zizina labradus

Australian Rustic Cupha prosope

A walk along the Jack Barnes Bicentennial Mangrove Boardwalk produced nice views of a female Common Tit Hypolycaena phorbas

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Macleay’s Swallowtail Moth – Lyssa macleayi

Recently I was alerted to the presence of a specimen of a giant Uraniid Swallowtail Moth (thanks Graeme). This was the second specimen I had seen here in Papua New Guinea but it was the first time I was able to get my camera and take some pictures. It is most likely Macleay’s Swallowtail Moth Lyssa macleayi macleayi based on distribution. It is a large (12+ cm wingspan) nocturnal species – though it can be sometimes found in the daytime; and it habitually perches upside down (see the second picture below). The species was named in 1856 after one of the Macleay family, either Alexander Macleay 1767-1848, William Sharp Macleay 1792-1865, or William John Macleay 1820-1891. Their natural history collection formed the basis of the Macleay Museum at the University of Sydney. There is a page with information on the Macleay family here.

Perched in its characteristic head-down resting pose.

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