Monday, July 26, 2010
Moth Or Butterfly?
Remember the unidentified butterfly that I told you about yesterday? I uploaded a photo here for identification, and got one reply so far suggesting it's a moth. But the two specimens I observed yesterday were perched on an eggplant with the wings folded. When I checked this link about the differences between moths and butterflies, I came across a list of features to consider, and also learned that every such feature has exceptions. This specimen has two butterfly features, club ended antennas vertical wing fold when perched, but has a stout and hairy body of a moth. Could you tell me what this really is?
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Hi 佳瑩佳瑩, thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteHi Amila
ReplyDeleteI have just updated the thread which you have posted in Lakdasun with detail description on this 'Butterfly'. Definatly it is not a moth and it is a butterfly belong to family Hesperiidae(check above thread for more info). Unfortunatly I am not in a position to correctly identify it due to lack of details(Ofcourse you can't have all the necessary details with a photo and either dead or alive specimen need to be closely inspect to have a correct identification). But I am confused again by seeing first picture you posted above which has rather different dot pattern than the second and same picture you posted in Lakdasun. Again no doubt about its family but it is not belong to genus Pelopidas nor Borbo I was reffering in Lakdasun post. It is much look like panara bada(Smallest swift)Are you saying that both above pictures show one and same butterfly? I guess you may have taken them in two different occations??
Hi Bushana,
ReplyDeleteThose two photos were indeed of two specimens perched on the same eggplant at the same time. Male and female,or even two species,could they be? Right now I'm fantasizing about having discovered a new species. :-) Thank you for helping me.