I have too many Wrightia religiosa (Water Jasmine) bushes in my garden. Some are in containers while others are sprouting like weeds in the grounds. Suckers from established plants have also invaded adjacent areas. I've pruned off many of these volunteer plants but they soon re-appeared with a vengeance.
A black-white butterfly of unknown ID fluttered amongst the scented single-petaled flowers. It has lovely black-white pattern on the wings with some yellow on the head and thorax.
It then fluttered to a braided planted in a container. Many stems are twined together in a basket weave pattern forming a cage.
The flowers here are of the double-petaled variety.
As the flowers of Wrightia religiosa face downwards, butterflies have to be upside down to get at the nectar.
As the flowers of Wrightia religiosa face downwards, butterflies have to be upside down to get at the nectar.
The abdomen is studded with black dots and end with a splotch of yellow at the posterior end.
However some of the flowers are single-petaled. The soft apple-green hue is due to the proximity of the leaves to the lens, the butterfly being in the centre of the bush.
Other than the antennae and eyes the head together with the proboscis is totally yellow.
"The butterfly is a flying flower,
The flower a tethered butterfly"
~Ponce Denis Écouchard Lebrun
These are single-petaled flowers.
A split seed pod with feathery seeds ready for flight with a strong breeze or to be washed down with the pouring rain.
Against the azure-blue sky.
"The butterfly is a flying flower,
The flower a tethered butterfly"
~Ponce Denis Écouchard Lebrun
Against the azure-blue sky.
Note: This moth should be a member of the Nyctemera genus as determined by Horace Tan of Butterflies of Singapore
That's a lovely little butterfly with those black and white patches. Your Wrightia has gorgeous flowers. I'm a huge fan of white flowers, and these are right up my alley. Obviously the butterflies think it's a wonderful plant as well.
ReplyDeleteThe Wrightia has a lovely scent which could have attracted the butterfly in the first place.
DeleteThat is one beautiful butterfly. Love the color and detail on the wings and body. And I wouldn't mind having those plants in my garden:)
ReplyDeleteIts lovely butterfly but I'm still not able to determine its ID. I wish I can ship these volunteer plants to whoever wants them. Throwing them away seems so criminal.
DeleteBeautiful photo's Stiletto it brings in a summerfeeling in our cold wintery weather.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful weekend.
I'm glad that a tiny bit of summer was brought your way via my blog :) Have a great weekend too.
DeleteInteresting blog to me. We have several similar flowering plants :)
ReplyDeleteThanks. I've checked through some of your posts and I see many familiar plants. Will be checking out your blog more often for comparison.
DeletePiękne pachnące kwiaty, to i wspaniałe motyle przylatuję. Ciekawie jest spleciony krzew. Podoba mi się. Cudowne zdjęcia. Pozdrawiam.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful fragrant flowers and stunning butterflies to arrive. It's interesting shrub intertwined. I like it. Wonderful pictures. Yours.
Thanks Giga for all your sweet words. I have that braided (intertwined) Wrightia for about twenty years. It is that robust.
DeleteGreat butterfly and your photos are very nice!
ReplyDeleteI like especially the composition and background colors in pic N°8!
But, if I may say so, it looks more like a day moth to me if I compare it with the similar species we have in France!
If your are interested, you can have a look at a heterocera with a similar body here:
http://1000-pattes.blogspot.fr/2011/02/zerene-du-groseillier-ou-phalene.html
Thanks to you too for leaving a sweet comment on my blog!
I will surf on yours to discover your birds... ;-)
Kind regards!
Hi Noushka, you have one of the most amazing blogs that I've come across. Two other fellow bloggers seem to think that it is a moth. Armed with information from Horace (Butterflies of Singapore)I googled and have arrived at the conclusion that all three of you are dead right. I'm now waiting for confirmation from Horace as to its ID.
DeleteHi there, and thanks for leaving your question at my blog about the ID of this little winged visitor to your garden. What you have here, is a day-flying moth, and not a butterfly. Perhaps that's why you could not find a quick ID to it. Your shots show very clearly the tapered antennae of this moth, which is a good way to distinguish moths from butterflies. The majority of butterflies have clubbed antennae, whilst moths have tapered, feathery, coiled, curly, etc., antennae. Nice shots of the moth, by the way.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kind comments and that coming from a 'sifu'. I really appreciate your promptness in responding to my query. Your knowledge of these 'painted ladies' is astounding. The information was most helpful in helping me determine the ID. I'm now waiting for your confirmation. Best regards.
DeleteHow beautifully the butterfly, sorry I see it is a moth, and the white Wrightia Religiosa compliment each other, and what a beautiful seedpod, natures clever little work of art.
ReplyDeleteYou together with Noushka and Horace (Commandera) are so sharp and knowledgeable to straight away determine that it is a moth. The seedpod is filled with numerous potential life forms to disperse its progeny. Truly amazing.
DeleteStiletto, I've not seen this plant before, I love it for nice flowers, as butterfly loves it! It's interesting how this plant throws its seeds.
ReplyDeleteHi Nadezda, this plant is very common in our region. It is popularly used as bonzai. even without the seeds, they are easily propagated from the numerous suckers.
DeleteSuch a beautiful plant and butterfly. The plant has a specially beautiful seed pot. Stunning pictures, Stiletto.
ReplyDeleteHi Satu, thanks for being as sweet and kind as ever. The seed pod looks very similiar to that of Tecoma stans and Adenium obesum.
DeleteYou take very pretty photos.
ReplyDeleteI have also read that this plant is very important to Thai people
Hi Adam, thank you so much for your compliments. Generally the Orientals have a strong association with this plant and is commonly found in many of their gardens.
DeleteHello Stiletto! The black ants in your garden really knows what is best for them. Happy gardening! And thanks for sharing all these very pretty pictures. You have a wonderful and very happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteThe ants are every where in my garden. I used to be annoyed with their presence as I perceived that as spoiling the aesthetic of my images. Now, I regard them as integral to the composition of the picture. Happy 2013 to you too.
DeleteIt is not easy to tell the difference. They look so much alike.
ReplyDeleteI was told to check on the wings' position when at rest.
If it's flat, then it's a moth,
If upright, it is a butterfly.
The position of the wings is one of the indications. I've now learned to look beyond the wings, to the antennae for instance.
DeleteBeautiful photos! I especially like the split pea pods, at a glance, it looks like the feather of a bird!
ReplyDeleteThanks. This large seed pod with its fluffy contents was a quite a sight, so I just couldn't resist photographing it.
DeleteYour first photo is a painting! The moth has stolen the show :) I became completely uninterested in the flower itself until I saw your photo of the flowers alone (#9) The quote has joined the beauty of both, the insect and the flower and goes perfectly with this post.
ReplyDeleteHi Rosemary, your first line is the ultimate compliment for any aspiring photographer. I'm much flattered. Actually this post should be named after the butterfly (now, determined to be a moth)instead of the plant. The reason for this discrepancy is because I was totally clueless of the insect's ID. And I appreciate that you can see the relevance of the insect, flower and quote in the post.
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI would like to know if the variegated type of Wrightia set seeds for propagation as read in another post that the double flower tree does NOT set seeds,
thanks for helping me.
JP.