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Common Silverline
Spindasis vulcanus
15th November 2024. Tamborim. Goa.
This is one of the most stunning butterflies I have ever seen. When I spotted this along a roadside verge close to our hotel in Goa I thought I must have died and gone to heaven! One of several seen during our fortnight in India, a wonderful place for butterflies. This hairstreak-like beauty was easy to approach as it spent time around its favourite nectar patch. Sublime!
15th November 2024. Tamborim. Goa.
This is one of the most stunning butterflies I have ever seen. When I spotted this along a roadside verge close to our hotel in Goa I thought I must have died and gone to heaven! One of several seen during our fortnight in India, a wonderful place for butterflies. This hairstreak-like beauty was easy to approach as it spent time around its favourite nectar patch. Sublime!
Red Pierrot
Talycada nysieus
13th November 2024. Ponda. Goa.
This freshly minted Red Pierrot made my day - it was a butterfly that I had really wanted to see during the planning stages for our holiday in Goa, a standout species that leapt off the page of my reference book and embedded itself in my consciousness. It was a great thrill to see it in real life. Even, better, it was very tame and amenable to being photographed.
13th November 2024. Ponda. Goa.
This freshly minted Red Pierrot made my day - it was a butterfly that I had really wanted to see during the planning stages for our holiday in Goa, a standout species that leapt off the page of my reference book and embedded itself in my consciousness. It was a great thrill to see it in real life. Even, better, it was very tame and amenable to being photographed.
Peacock Pansy
Junonia almana
11th November 2024. Tamborim. Goa.
This stunner was another of the multitude of beautiful species to be found along the roadsides close to our hotel. Absolutely gorgeous when fresh, this is a very active butterfly, a frequent visitor to nectar. We saw this species almost every day in small numbers.
11th November 2024. Tamborim. Goa.
This stunner was another of the multitude of beautiful species to be found along the roadsides close to our hotel. Absolutely gorgeous when fresh, this is a very active butterfly, a frequent visitor to nectar. We saw this species almost every day in small numbers.
Medus Brown
Orsotriaena medus
14th November 2024. Netravali. Goa.
Photographed further inland, in jungle habitat on the edge of the Netravali Wildlife Reserve, this Medus Brown was keeping to the shadier ride edges. This is the wet season form of the species.
14th November 2024. Netravali. Goa.
Photographed further inland, in jungle habitat on the edge of the Netravali Wildlife Reserve, this Medus Brown was keeping to the shadier ride edges. This is the wet season form of the species.
Tawny Coster
Acraea terpsicore
18th November 2024. Tambdi Surla. Goa.
This is another butterfly that I was familiar with from various books on butterflies of the tropics, and another that I never dared hope I would see for myself one day. Down on the ground in a damp clearing amongst the forest, it was dwarfed by the larger Swallowtail butterflies nearby. We also found it in higher numbers along a stretch of hedgerow just outside the coastal village of Cavelossim one day.
18th November 2024. Tambdi Surla. Goa.
This is another butterfly that I was familiar with from various books on butterflies of the tropics, and another that I never dared hope I would see for myself one day. Down on the ground in a damp clearing amongst the forest, it was dwarfed by the larger Swallowtail butterflies nearby. We also found it in higher numbers along a stretch of hedgerow just outside the coastal village of Cavelossim one day.
Rustic
Cupha erymanthis
18th November 2024. Tambdi Surla. Goa.
First spotted flying around the forest edge, it was a while before this Rustic landed anywhere that I could get close to it, but a bit of perseverance paid off when it posed nicely in a sun spot.
18th November 2024. Tambdi Surla. Goa.
First spotted flying around the forest edge, it was a while before this Rustic landed anywhere that I could get close to it, but a bit of perseverance paid off when it posed nicely in a sun spot.
Tamil Lacewing
Cethosia nietneri
13th November 2024. Ponda. Goa.
This is yet another iconic "must see" butterfly of Asia. It is also the only example that we saw all fortnight, so I am very glad it sat still briefly for me to capture this image.
13th November 2024. Ponda. Goa.
This is yet another iconic "must see" butterfly of Asia. It is also the only example that we saw all fortnight, so I am very glad it sat still briefly for me to capture this image.
Red Spot Duke
Dophla evelina
18th November 2024. Tambdi Surla. Goa.
A sudden flash of iridescent blue alerted us to the presence of this Red Spot Duke, which made a brief descent to the forest floor in front of us, deep in the jungle.
18th November 2024. Tambdi Surla. Goa.
A sudden flash of iridescent blue alerted us to the presence of this Red Spot Duke, which made a brief descent to the forest floor in front of us, deep in the jungle.
Mottled Emigrant
Catopsilia pyranthe
15th November 2024. Cavelossim. Goa.
This female Mottled Emigrant was hiding in amongst the vegetation on private military land just outside Cavelossim one morning. I had to photograph it through chain-link fencing!
15th November 2024. Cavelossim. Goa.
This female Mottled Emigrant was hiding in amongst the vegetation on private military land just outside Cavelossim one morning. I had to photograph it through chain-link fencing!
Grey Pansy
Junonia atlites
21st November 2024. Tamborim. Goa.
Probably the commonest butterfly seen during our time in Goa, the Grey Pansy could be found by the dozen on a daily basis, particularly active, as were most butterflies, early in the morning and late in the afternoon.
21st November 2024. Tamborim. Goa.
Probably the commonest butterfly seen during our time in Goa, the Grey Pansy could be found by the dozen on a daily basis, particularly active, as were most butterflies, early in the morning and late in the afternoon.
Grey Count
Tanaecia lepidea
13th November 2024. Ponda. Goa.
A very unusual looking two-tone butterfly, we only saw a couple of these, both gliding around forest edge habitat, chasing off other insects and occasionally basking in sun-spots, as here.
13th November 2024. Ponda. Goa.
A very unusual looking two-tone butterfly, we only saw a couple of these, both gliding around forest edge habitat, chasing off other insects and occasionally basking in sun-spots, as here.
Gram Blue
Euchrysops cnejus
11th November 2024. Tamborim. Goa.
India has a wealth of blue species, many of them quite similar and challenging to identify. This small Gram Blue was common along the local verges and field edges, and wouldn't look out of place in southern Europe!
11th November 2024. Tamborim. Goa.
India has a wealth of blue species, many of them quite similar and challenging to identify. This small Gram Blue was common along the local verges and field edges, and wouldn't look out of place in southern Europe!
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