Butterfly Behaviour

Last Saturday, I took this urban monkey back to the secondary forest of Ubin for the annual jungle fowl survey and had an unexpected lesson in butterfly behaviour!

While walking pass the butterfly hill, we came across some Common Birdwing butterflies flitting around a fence. As we approach, it became apparent to us that there was a mating pair while a second male eagerly flits around trying to find an opportunity to take over.


What was more of a shocking revelation to us butt watching noobs is the fact that the female butterfly appears to have just emerged from her chrysalis! whoah we all got into a frenzy exclaiming if we were witnessing non consensual statutory rape in action. The female was still extending her wings and the chrysalis was still at her feet and already 2 suitors in line!



After all that excitement, the butterfly experts tells us that it is all very common behaviour in the butterfly world. Guess there's no women's charter for butterflies. Good thing is I now learnt to identify the Common Birdwing through the Butterfly Circle checklist and won't be forgetting that name anytime soon!