BUTTERFLY WATCHING AS A HOBBY

Unlike bird-watching, which is more popular with nature lovers, butterfly watching is less heard of, although it is a hobby that is slowly gathering more followers.

Butterflies are featured as manifestations of beauty and freedom, in books, drawings, multi-media advertisements and even to sell condominiums! However, most of the time, we do not actually get the opportunity to see them in the wild.

It is fascinating to observe butterflies in their natural habitat - how they flutter around, feeding, mating, laying eggs and so on. Many species glide gracefully and effortlessly, whilst other fly at such high speeds that a fleeting glimpse is all one usually gets of them

Being active insects, butterflies are best observed when they are feeding. With some experience, one will quickly learn to find "hot-spots" of butterfly activity. In Singapore, the best places to look for these beautiful insects would be the nature reserves.

On bright sunny days, look for areas with flowering plants like the Prickly Lantana, Common Asystasia and Singapore Rhododendron, and wait patiently. Very often, some species of tall trees will flower and the whole tree will be swarming with colourful butterflies, feasting on the flowers.

Many species are also attracted to rotten fruit bait (pineapples and guava are the best), carrion, dead prawns and roadside damp seepages or urine-tainted sandy patches.

Butterflies are very alert to movements, so remember to move slowly and remain still until the butterfly is settled before moving in for a closer look. The observer must also remember not to cast any shadow over them, as such movements would also frighten them off.

Remember to wear drab-coloured clothing when in the field - greys and greens are the best. Whites and colourful clothes are more obvious to the butterflies and they would probably spot you first and beat a hasty retreat, long before you spot them!

Bringing along a pair of low-power binoculars would be useful, as some butterflies are fond of settling on some high leaves. Avoid the high-power binoculars that bird-watchers use, as these would be better suited for observations at much longer distances.

Finally, it would be useful to keep notes on what you observe, regarding the food plants, the habitat, the way the butterfly moves, and other matters of interest.

Some useful reference books for the butterfly watcher in Singapore are :

"Butterflies of Singapore" by Steven Neo "Butterflies of West Malaysia and Singapore" by W.A. Fleming "Butterflies of the Malay Peninsula" by Corbet & Pendlebury

Happy butterfly watching!

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