Sunday 27 November 2011

Butterflies of Tampines Eco Green

Hi, it's been a while since I last posted, but I have more time
now so I should be updating my blog more often. :) Today
I have a write up on the butterflies of the Tampines Eco Green.
It is a eco- friendly park, with secondary forest, grass and
shrub land, and freshwater habitats. It boasts over 15 species
of dragonflies, 70 birds and many butterflies! At the entrance,
many pea plants have been planted. The peas attract many danainae
( tigers and crows ) butterflies. They like to feed on the dried seed
pods. Below is a dark glassy tiger.

The pea plants are also the caterpillar host plants of the
pea blue. The pea blues are very common in the park and often flutter
close to the ground.

At the park you can also find the two silverline species there.
The hostplant, the acacia auriculiformis, grows abundantly
around the grasslands. Both of them are rapid fliers. This is a
club silverline.

This one is a long banded silverline.

The leea rubra plants that grow along the edge of the lake
have attracted many species of butterflies to visit too. Look
out for the glassy tigers, plain and common tigers, common mime,
grass yellows and other surprise visitors! This conjoined swift
is taking a sip from one of the small flowers.
And here is a palm dart resting on the flower buds.

You can also see tawny costers at the grassland areas.
They flutter slowly in the wind and are a joy to watch.
Their host plant, a passionflower called passiflora foedita
grows in the wooded spots.
There are so many more butterflies to see at the Tampines
Eco Green and on a sunny day at least 15 species can be spotted.
The park has an area of 36.5 hectares and is wedged between the
Sungei Tampines Canal, the Tampines Expressway and the
Tampines ave 12. There are plenty of ways to get there but there
is no car park.
It is definitely worth a visit

Thursday 3 November 2011

The Oh' Farms Butterfly Lodge V 2.0


In August 2008, a small butterfly aviary was opened
in the Oh' Farms in Sembawang. The lodge served as a
classroom for many schools, whose students went on
trips there to learn about butterflies. It was very successful,
and now it is bigger and better than ever!

The butterfly lodge houses many common urban
butterflies and now many new ones have been added.
The newly 'renovated' aviary is more than twice the size of
the original. It is also taller to provide an even more
spacious environment for the butterflies and for the people.

There are many species of butterflies flying happily
inside the lodge. Mottled emigrants, common grass yellows
leopard lacewings thrive. The lodge also offers many other
butterflies, such as blues ( lycaenidae ) and even skippers
( hesperiidae ) can be found. This is wonderful as not
many butterfly farms house these butterflies. Of
course there are the large showy species too!
The aviary is also filled with lush foliage. Butterfly host
plants and nectaring plants make up the bulk of them, but
filler plants have been added too. Bidens plants cover the main
planters with their lovely flowers and are a favourite among the
butterflies.
The lodge is definitely worth a visit and you will keep
coming back for more! The entrance fee is only $4, for an
unlimited time inside to enjoy the butterflies!
There is also a great variety of species there, here is a list,
but do bear in mind that there may always be more additions:

.common mime
.common mormon
.lime butterfly
.mottled emigrant
.lemon emigrant
.orange emigrant
.cabbage white
.striped albatross
.common grass yellow
.dingy bush brown
.plain tiger
.leopard lacewing
.the leopard
.autumn leaf
.chocolate pansy
.peacock pansy
.blue pansy
.pea blue
.potanthus species (skippers)

The Oh' farms are located within the Nee Soon
Agrotechnology Parks. The address is 14A, Bah Soon Pah Road,
(Sembawang ). The butterfly lodge is nestled right near the
entrance. Do visit it!!! :)

(pic no. 1: leopard lacewing
2: lime butterfly
3: blue pansy
4: chocolate pansy
5: striped albatross
6: common mormon
7: plain tiger)


The End.