The Common Palmfly feeding on Singapore Rhododendron fruit

YC Wee
on 23rd August 2018
Common Palmfly, displaying upperside.

The larvae of the Common Palmfly (Elymnias hypermnestra agina) feed on the leaves of palm, thus the common name. The upperside of the butterfly is bluish-black while the underside is speckled brown with a light so-called “thumb print” at the apex of the forewing. There is a white spot at the costa of the hindwing, seen in the image above but not in the specimen shown in the video.

Common Palmfly displaying lowerside. Note white spot at the costa

Normally skittish, the Common Palmfly would fly off as soon as I got my equipment ready to document it flying around the Singapore Rhododendron (Melastoma malabathricum). But this time I encountered a specimen in the evening that stayed put feeding on the fruit juice. In fact, it remained even as I moved my equipment nearer and nearer and remained feeding for more than half an hour.

Common Palmfly feeding on fruit – note proboscis.

Check out the video below and note the proboscis moving regularly as it sucked in the fruit juice.

YC Wee
Singapore
22nd June 2018

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

Other posts by YC Wee

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