Weekend Getaway to a Bamboo Paradise

Enthusiasm and curiosity were flying high after our short butterfly stint in Wuyuan. We wanted to keep the spirits high with another butterfly trip closer to Shanghai. Places like Nanjing and Hangzhou botanical garden seemed to be the fair choice given the connectivity with these cities. While talking with my colleague and who knows my interest suggested an alternative place – Jingshan Temple. Jingshan temple is on a small hillock which is located 60kms west of Hangzhou.

At first, it seemed to be a nice place off the beaten path and it may bring some potential butterflies and also birds on our way. There seemed to be no way of booking any accommodation over the web. Kevin’s wife Kitty Wei helped us book a home stay at the Jingshan Village. Mrs.Zhu homestay (13868042228) was in the middle of a bamboo forest. The homestay was clean, we were the only people staying there but they havd more people visiting their restaurant.

Jingshan Butterflies

We had plenty of surprises at Jingshan. First of, the ghat road was closed due to the maintenance of the temple at the summit. The authorities closed down the road for the convenience of the maintenance vehicle flow but the summit was still open. We decided to hike and it took 3 hours and plus to reach the summit. It could have been done in half the time but we stopped enroute for butterflies and birds.

We saw the Jungle Queen for the first time and it was very impressive. It hardly showed the upper wings but they were remarkable with the arrow markings. Here is a glimpse of its upper wing.

Stichophthalma howqua

Dog or Cat poop seems to be a party place as we always found something attractive when there is plenty of crap around.

“Poop Party” – Lethe syrcis(L), Stichophthalma howqua(C), Lethe lanaris(R)

This Sergeant Emperor was stuck on this turd for several hours.

Sergeant Emperor(Mimathyma chevana) – Glimpse of the upper wing

A closer look but the purple sheen is nowhere seen at this angle

Underwing of Sergeant Emperor(Mimathyma chevana), Lethe syrcis in the front

Lots of people on the trekking path as the road was closed. I guess, the situation will change once the road reopens as most of the people will stick to the roads.

Common Bluebottle (Graphium sarpedon)

Abisara fylloides

Abisara fylloides – Upper Wing

Indian Fritillary – Female (Argyreus hyperbius )

Lethe lanaris

Among the drab looking Lethe butterflies, the Angled Red Forester (Lethe chandica) was somewhat better looking

Angled Red Forester (Lethe chandica)

Everglowing blue blue beauth – Blue Admiral (Kaniska canace)

Jingshan has several Neptis butterflies but they were almost impossible to put a definite ID on them.

Neptis philyra

Yellow Sailor (Neptis ananta)

(Putative) Neptis soma – Upper wing

(Putative) Neptis soma – underwing

Daimio tethys

Ypthima zodia – Underwing

Ypthima zodia – Upperwing

Abraximorpha davidii

Angled Sunbeam (Curatis acuta)

Black-spotted Labyrinth (Neope muirheadii) on the car windshield

Isoteinon lamprospilus

Upper wing of Lethe syrcis

On the second day of the trip, we were lucky to find the checkpost to the summit was not guarded and our usual habit of sneaking in could not be avoided. We took the road to the summit, “Little Forktail” was the commonest Forktail around here and we saw more than a dozen individuals. We also saw a single “White-crowned Forktail“, the other notable birds were Collared Finchill, Black and Chestnut Bulbul, Crested Goshawk, Grey-headed Parrotbill, Huet’s Fulvetta, Meadow Bunting, Chinese Hwamei, Masked Laughingthrush.