Bhutan Butterflies

[Jack Harrison]

I would imagine Sonam that you could find a niche leading butterfly tours for Europeans. Not sure that Americans are as butterfly keen as we are.

Some lovely pictures there, all excellent quality .

The only one of your butterflies I have ever seen in Blue Pansy somewhere in eastern Asia (but can't recall where - maybe it was Maldives or Singapore).

Keep tempting us.

Jack

[Sonam Dorji]

Thks Jack, started late but now butterflybug seems to have affected me. Everyday I wonder which I may come across.
As long as the season is there, I will make sure you get the updates n pics!!!

Rgds,
Sonam

[Padfield]

Hi Sonam. Thanks for posting these wonderful pictures. I have to say, the one I would most love to see myself is the great spotted blue. Is it rare in Bhutan? I kow it has a very limited distribution. That is a lovely shot.

Guy

[Sonam Dorji]

Hi Padfield,

Glad u like the pics. Hope u all don't get bored by my posts. I think the Great spotted blue is found in Bhutan n India with possibility im Yunan province in China. The capital Thimphu I'd the best place to spot them. I have not seen them elsewhere. It appears from early August till September. I have seem them rest on clover leaves frequently. It is not that rare in Thimphu during its season. But as with most blues, upper side is difficult to photograph. But you can see the blue when it is flight.

Rgds,
Sonam

[Sonam Dorji]

Yesterday and today was quite hot. Last few days left here at Trashiyangtse so trying my best to capture as much as possible. Some of the pics posted below are from my earlier trips, which I have mentioned.

[trevor]

HI Sonam,
I am sure your images will make a great contribution to these diaries.
You have access to species that many of us will never see, and some of us have never heard of.
Very much looking forward to more from you.

Best wishes,
Trevor.

[Jack Harrison]

Something made me laugh when I saw that Chocolate Albatross. It is just TOO unreal but absolutely gorgeous. A wiki search shows that the form varies with the season, presumably basically dry and wet season forms.

And Common Map seems like a child's sketch of what a butterfly looks like.

Fantastic stuff. There is probably no recent published guide to Bhutan butterflies but you are already filling that void.

Jack

[Jack Harrison]

I hope you don't mind Sonam but I have just made a jigsaw puzzle of your Common Map. A very silly idea but you will already know that we British are rather odd at times.

http://www.jigsawplanet.com/?rc=play&pid=352aa386d4d1

100 pieces and I will now spend the next 25 minutes or so doing it.

Jack

[Jack Harrison]

27 minutes.

Jack

[Sonam Dorji]

Dear Trevor,

Thanks a lot and am glad you are enjoying my pictures. I intend to bore you guys with Bhutan Butterflies pictures!!! And yes of course, UK butterflies have their own charm and beauty.Brings back those memories of classroom readings of Victorian poets, legends of Robin Hood, King Arthur, etc.

rgds,
Sonam Dorji

[Sonam Dorji]

Dear Jack,

I think the jigsaw puzzle is great. That may be the way to get into the minds of kids to generate butterfly interest. Will keep that in mind and if you can share how you do it, that will be great. There are small books on butterflies of Bhutan. You may expect one from me by the end of this year or next spring!!! Will be pictorial one. The Chocolate albatross is another common species found at lower altitude.

rgds,
Sonam

[Jack Harrison]

Jigsaws online are easy to make:

http://www.jigsawplanet.com/?rc=createpuzzle

Reading between the lines and noting your excellent command of English, am I correct in presuming your schooling was in UK?

Jack

[Sonam Dorji]

Dear Jack,

Thanks for the link and you are probably that rare species who thinks that my english is good!!! Never been to UK. In Bhutan, except for the National language, Dzongkha, the rest are all taught in English.

Please find attached some pics of wild flowers as sometimes butterfly fairies do lose their magic wand!! You focus on the next best things mother nature provide you.
rgds,
Sonam

[Sonam Dorji]

Hi Everyone,

I made a mistake in posting an earlier picture as Bhutan Blackvein when it should have been Great Blackvein. The picture attached here with this post is the Bhutan Blackvein. I am also reposting the Great Blackvein pic. so that there is no need for you all the scroll back. You can compare it as well.

rgds,
Sonam

[Sonam Dorji]

Hi everyone,

I dropped a little bit in height and went towards north. The highlight was the China Nawab. I was against the light so could not get a nice. But since this was for the first for me, I was happy to get that.

I recorded the following species :

1. Chocolate Pansy
2. Bhutan Sergeant
3. Paris Peacock
4. Yellow Orange tip
5. Circe
6.Indian Purple Emperor
7. Sunbeam
7.Pea Blue
8. White Commodore (three of them)
9. Large Silverstripe
10. Fulvous Piet Flat
11. Birdwing flying high (There are two in Bhutan, Common and Golden, I did not which)
12. Psyche
13. Common Windmill
14.Tailed Sulphur
15.Common Brimstone
16. Striped Punch.

Surprisingly, the lower part of the valley did not have Pale Jezebel and Great Blackvein which is commonly found in upper part. Please find attached the pics. that I got for some.

rgds,
Sonam

[MikeOxon]

Until I read your posts, I knew almost nothing about Bhutan. You have prompted me to read a little more! From Wikipedia, I read that "According to the Swiss-based International Union for Conservation of Nature, Bhutan is viewed as a model for proactive conservation initiatives. The Kingdom has received international acclaim for its commitment to the maintenance of its biodiversity." " You appear to be making your own personal contribution to these aims by spreading information about the wonderful butterflies and flowers of your country. Congratulations

[Jack Harrison]

MikeOxon

Until I read your posts, I knew almost nothing about Bhutan.

Same here so I had to research . I have to say that for nature lovers, Bhutan seems to be idyllic. Thanks Sunam. You have single handedly done a great service for your country.

Jack

[Padfield]

I echo Mike's and Jack's words. I also look forward very much to your book coming out. I collect world butterfly books and have good coverage of India, Nepal and Sikkim but not so much specifically for Bhutan. There is a small guide freely available as a pdf here: http://dev.mtnforum.org/sites/default/f ... es/766.pdf and a more comprehensive pdf guide to the swallowtails of Bhutan here: http://biodiversity.bt/biodiv/content/d ... 46/827.pdf. Let us know when your book is published and you are guaranteed a few sales from over here, I think!

Guy

[Sonam Dorji]

Dear MikeOxon,

Jack[/quote]

Until I read your posts, I knew almost nothing about Bhutan. You have prompted me to read a little more!

Thanks for your kind words and taking time to read about my country. It is really nice of you to do that. I like nature and as I travel around the country looking for butterflies, birds, flowers, animals, etc., I seem to fall in love with my country more. I was never a travelling person but now I intend to explore every nook and corner of my country.

Dear jack,

Same here so I had to research . I have to say that for nature lovers, Bhutan seems to be idyllic. Thanks Sunam. You have single handedly done a great service for your country.

Again thanks but at the end of the day, we are all butterfly lovers and if you all enjoy my pictures, nothing like it. It is great to know people like you all and I am happy to be a part of the UK butterflies member. Our literature classes (till 12th standard, it is compulsory, after that you go to different subjects like economics, science, etc, and it becomes more of a subsidiary paper) were all about English poets, poems and novels. As I said earlier, it brings back the memories of William Wordsworth, S.T. Coleridge, etc. From what I read about some of the posts of forum members, it seems some part of UK still is like what is written in "I wandered as Lonely as a Cloud". The charms of English literature are not easily forgotten. I still remember in my 10th standard, what was written in the cover of the Book " As you Like It" by William Shakespeare,

"From East to Western lnd,
No Jewels is like Rosalind,
Her worth being mounted on the wind,
Through all the world bears Rosalind"

"All the pictures of fairest lined,
Are but black to Rosalind,
Let no face be kept in mind,
But the fair of Rosalind"

Please feel free to create as many jigsaw puzzles as you can from my posts and go crazy with them.

Dear Padfield,

I echo Mike's and Jack's words.

Thanks a lot, Padfield. Please do use my pictures wherever you want without hesitation if UK Butterflies need them.No need for permission. If you want higher resolution pictures, I can send them. I normally reduce the file size so that it does take much time to upload.

rgds,
Sonam

[Sonam Dorji]

Hi everyone,

My recent trip from where I posted the pics earlier yielded one new record for Bhutan. I was not sure of the Id but it has now been confirmed that this is the first record of this species, the Wonderful hairstreak. The the other silverline is yet to be confirmed and i would be glad if expert on this forum it Id for me. some doubt it to be C.elwesi.