Clear Wing Moth, Allamandas and Alpinia Pupurata

The Clear Wing Tiger Moth (Ceryx sphenodes) is a small moth of about two cm wing span.It is a wasp mimic.  Normally I do not take much notice of them as they are  too small to make an impact. I pointed my lenses on this mini beauty when there were no other butterflies or moth around for me to snap away. It was only after I reviewed them in my monitor, that I was able to fully appreciate its beauty.

 
 

This petite was resting on an Allamanda cathartica leaf.



Yellow and Purple Allamandas.

The moth then flew off and perched on the underside of a Alpinia pupurata (ginger torch) leaf.

Alpinia Pupurata

Pruning of the shrubs provide flowers and colours for the kitchen island.

Quisqualis indica and Lantana - Amazing Butterfly Attractants

It is very evident that Quisqualis indica (Rangoon creeper) and Lantana camara provide plenty of opportunities for viewing beautiful butterflies that flutter into the garden.

 
Double-petaled Quisqualis indica


  It exudes a lovely fragrant smell for a perfumed garden.

 
 A female Hypolimnas bolina jacintha (Jacintha Egg Fly)



The Lesser Gull Butterfly - Cepora Nadina

A butterfly 'painted lady' reposing on the foliage of Quisqualis indica.

A big shrub of  Lantana camara (sunset)






A butterfly 'painted lady' sipping nectar from the numerous florets. She is simply  spoilt for choice,

 
 

Zizula hylax pygmaea (Pygmy Grass Blue)

A male Hypolimnas bolina jacintha (Jacintha Egg Fly)

Clear Wing Moth on leaf of Lantana camara.


Other butterflies love the Lantanas too. This Common Grass Yellow (Eurema hecabe contubernalis) was found perched on the underside of lantana leaf.

Podranea ricasoliana - Trumpeting Its Loveliness

These delightful lilac-pink flowers of Podranea ricasoliana aka 'Pink Trumpet Vine' bloom the whole year round. It is actually a climber but I've trained it into a slender tree of about 12 feet high. 

 

 I love its pastel colours against the light blue sky. 

The rim of dark pink around the entrance to the tubular part seems to be a pointer for insects. 

I've seen carpenter bees with big girths struggling to get into the deeper recesses of the flowers. 

An unidentified moth*with transparent patches in its wings hangs precariously on this flower. The underlying pink of the flower shows through its wings making it look like a pink-coloured moth.

(now identified as *Clear Wing Tiger moth, Ceryx sphenodes - updated on 25.1.2016) 

It is not what you look at that matters, it is what you see
~ Hendry David Thoreau

The lateral branches arch gracefully down displaying the blooms for eye candy enjoyment at eye level.

  The yellow trumpet flowers of Allamanda cathartica and Tecoma Stans (image below) provide a strong contrast of colours.

This is a tree-top view from above. The compound leaves of dark glossy green provide a nice background to the flowers which are produced terminally.

I shot this from the first floor balcony. My plants have a good drenching from this high-powered hosing. Water pressure was high but adjusted to a rose shower so as not to damage the flowers.

 

 When a strong wind blows the flowers float gently down. 

Fallen flowers gave the lawn an added texture of interest. I usually leave the flowers on the lawn as it is, ornamented with Nature's baubles to be enjoyed for a while longer.

 This snail enjoyed gliding along the watering hose so much, it refused to get off it. It moved along the hose for many, many feet and seemed to be enjoying itself so much that I've no heart to interrupt its glee. I left it to its  own devices for the night. The next morning it was gone. Well ... so be it.

“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” 

― Confucius

A dish of Steamed Chicken with Mushroom and Garlic

For recipe, please click on my food blog, 

 http://stiletto-goodeats.blogspot.com/