Diario de pavandamoor

Butterfly observations at Tamhini 19.02.2023

Timing. 8:30 am to 2 pm

Members
Pavan Damoor
Dr Himanshu Pandav

A chilled morning with 8 degrees, and a unbearable noon with 33 degrees

The water level in the streams are coming down day by day due to the excess heat due to which more butterflies are getting attracted towards the streams in quench of thirst and mud puddling activity in full swing.

A very abnormal day with plenty of Nymphalidae species that were seen every where in the grass lands sapping on due drops and coming down to the streams as well.

The Abnormal Silverline and other blues too made our day more fantastic.

Photo of the Day goes to the bold and beautiful Abnormal Silverline which was documented last year and today at the same location
And
Best sighting of the day goes to
Color Sergeant Male & female both captured in one frame which was an treat to our eyes.

Following species were observed

1) Skippers
Brown Awl
Water snow flat
Dark palm dart
Vindhayan Bob
Restricted Demon (Record shot & lifer)

2) Blues
Tailless line blue
Common line blue
Dingy line blue
Lesser grass blue
Dark grass blue
Tiny grass blue
Long banded Silverline
Common Silverline
Abnormal Silverline
Sunbeam male & female
Common Cerulean Adult, larvae & eggs
Common hedge blue
Dark Cerulean
Forget-me-not
Pointed Ciliate blue
Silver streak blue
Peacock Royal
Large Guava blue Male & female
Indigo flash
Slate flash
Oriental grass jewel
Cornelian
Malayan
Quaker
Monkey Puzzle in flight
Orchid Tit

3) Metalmarks
Double Banded Judy

4) Brush footed
Great eggfly
Danaid eggfly
Common map
Glassy tiger
Plain tiger Pupa
Blue tiger
Dark Blue Tiger
Peacock Pansy
Lemon Pansy
Grey Pansy
Chocolate Pansy
Common Sailer
Chestnut streaked sailer
Short banded Sailer
Common crow
Brown King crow
Common Lascar
Rustic
Common Baron
Color sergeant Male & female
Black Prince male & female
Gaudy Baron male & female
Common three ring
Common Four ring
Common leopard
Commander
Indian Nawab Adult & larvae
Plain tawny Rajah
Painted Lady
Common Evening Brown
Common Tree brown
Bush brown sp
Common Castor
Angled castor
Sahyadri Blue Oakleaf
Club Beak

5) Whites & yellows
Cm grass yellow
Lesser Gull
Common Gull
Common emigrant
Pysche in flight

6) Swallowtail
Blue Mormon
Common Mormon
Narrow banded Blue bottle

Happy Butterflying to all 🦋🦋

Butterfly observations at Bhimashankar 20.11.2022

Timing. 9:30 am to 2 pm

Members:
Dr Himanshu Pandav
Pavan Damoor

Following species were observed

Skippers

1. Spotted Small flat

Blues

1. Red flash
2. Forgot me not
3. Gram blue
4. Tailless line blue
5. Common line blue
6. Angled Pierrot
7. Red Pierrot
8. Transparent 6 line blue
9. Lesser grass blue
10. Dark grass blue
11. Zebra blue

Brush footed

1. Danaid eggfly
2. Great eggfly
3. Common castor
4. Common map
5. Glassy tiger
6. Blue tiger
7. Striped tiger
8. Black prince female
9. Lemon Pansy
10. Grey Pansy
11. Chocolate Pansy
12. Common Sailer
13. Chestnut streak sailer
14. Cm evening brown
15. Cm crow

Whites & yellows

1. Cm grass yellow
2. Plain puffin
3. Cm Gull
4. Pioneer
5. Cm emigrant

Swallowtail

1. Blue Mormon
2. Cm Mormon
3. Cm Lime
4. Tailed Jay
5. Narrow banded blue bottle

Activity was too slow due to cold weather and heavy breeze.

Butterflies were seen from 11 am onwards basking n nectaring.

Abundance of Chocolate and lemon Pansy & blues were observed.

Due to Pilgrimage place, human beings have spoilt the habitat by throwing plastic and clothes everywhere. 😅 People shouting in the forest and disturbing wildlife.

Most of the streams have dried up so very less mud puddling activity was seen.
The terrain compromises of Rocky and forest patches so very difficult to explore. The canopy in Bhimashankar is very narrow compared to Tamhini.

More visits required to explore the habitat.

Happy Butterflying to all 🦋🦋

Butterfly observations at Tamhini 05.02.2023

Timing. 8:30 am to 2 pm

Members
Dr Himanshu
Pavan
Kushal

A cold morning today with 13 degrees, but a very good sunshine helped the buddies to come out for basking from 8 am onwards,
Overall a good day today to start with
Photo of the Day goes to the bold and beautiful Silverstreak blue butterfly basking early morning and displaying it's dark blue colours was a treat to our eyes
And
Best sighting of the day goes to
Grey Count butterfly
Which was spotted by Kushal at the right time raised our eye brows 😀
Earlier this buddy was spotted by Mayuresh Kulkarni in the year 2009 at Tamhini itself and spotted now once again after a very big gap of nearly 14 years

Following species were observed

Skippers

1. Common small flat
2. Golden angle
3. Brown Awl
4. Swift species

Blues

1. Pea blue
2. Tailless line blue
3. Common line blue
4. Angled Pierrot
5. Lesser grass blue
6. Dark grass blue
7. Tiny grass blue
8. Long banded Silverline
9. Sunbeam male
10. Common Cerulean
11. Cm hedge blue
12. Dark Cerulean
13. Monkey puzzle
14. Forget-me-not
15. Pointed Ciliate blue
16. Silverstreak blue
17. Peacock Royal
18. Large Guava blue
19. Indigo flash
20. Oriental grass jewel

Metalmarks

1. Double Banded Judy

Brush footed

1. Great eggfly
2. Common map
3. Glassy tiger
4. Blue Pansy
5. Yellow Pansy
6. Lemon Pansy
7. Grey Pansy
8. Chocolate Pansy
9. Common Sailer
10. Chestnut streaked sailer
11. Cm crow
12. Plain tiger
13. Blue tiger
14. Lascar
15. Rustic
16. Cm Baron
17. Colour sergeant female

18. Gaudy Baron
    44.. Cm 4 ring

19. Cm leopard
20. Commander
21. Indian Nawab
22. Anomalous nawab
23. tawny Rajah flight
24. Painted Lady
25. Grey Count

Whites & yellows

1. Cm grass yellow
2. Lesser Gull
3. Cm Gull
4. Cm emigrant
5. Great orange tip
6. Pysche in flight

Swallowtail

1. Blue Mormon flight
2. Cm Mormon
3. Cm Lime
4. Red Helen

Happy Butterflying to all 🦋🦋

Decided to visit the valley for Butterflying after a very long time.
Myself and my team have been regularly exploring the streams of Tamhini on month to month basis, but today thought of exploring the valley which is close to us.

Timing 9:30 am to 1 pm
List of sightings

Small branded Swift
Rice Swift
Common grass dart flight
Grizelled skipper in flight
Tiny grass blue
Common Pierrot
Lesser grass blue
Common grass yellow
Small grass yellow
Spotless grass yellow
Grey Pansy
Lemon Pansy
Chocolate Pansy
Blue pansy
Daniad eggfly male
Great eggfly female
Common crow
Common Map
Indian wanderer (flight)
Lime Swallowtail
Striped tiger (flight)
Common Silverline
Common Sailer
Common castor
Common Baron (flight)
Common Cerulean
Common Leopard
Psyche
Common 3 ring
Gram blue
Forget me not
Common evening brown
Common gull
Common Jezebel in flight
Common line blue
Pea blue
Zebra blue
Slate flash

Painted Lady - 8 to 10 nos

Currently Raanmari flowers are in full bloom and Butterfly activity can be seen on these plants.
The yellows and blue's have started visiting the streams and mud puddling activity has started.

Secondly, Road work in progress from Khadakwasla village to DIAT and heavy traffic jam on this stretch for around 2 hours in the noon as being Sunday.

Happy Butterflying to all 🦋🦋

Celebrating Big butterfly Month India September 2022.

Saturday night I just looked over the sky and it was clear so took a quick decision of visiting Tamhini the very next day. I woke up early morning around 5 am and left for Chandani chowk to catch a red bus which goes to my beautiful and favourite butterfly destination " Tamhini. "

It was a foggy morning but the sunrise happened around 7:30 am. Around 8:30 pm I got down from the bus which I had boarded from C chowk. the sunshine was too bright so thought in mind that today's activity must have already started and yes I was right.

My first sighting started from the female common Mormon from Stichus form and was surprised to see the beauty in their habitat flying from one flower to another nectaring. The monsoon flowers are in full bloom currently which looks like an pink violet carpet spread allover. It's an treat for our eyes to get an beautiful view like this which will be remembered forever.

My observations started from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm. Had to packup early as it had started raining heavily. By 1 pm had my lunch in the forest itself and walked down to the village bus stand to catch a bus back to Pune. On the way it was pouring heavily and as I reached c chowk

Butterfly observations dt 11.09.2022 Tamhini Pune

Time: 8:30 am to 12:30 pm

Member: Pavan Damoor

List of species observed

Skippers - 8 species
Brown awl
Branded Swifts
Rice Swift
Water Snow flat
Grass dart
Chestnut angle
Grass demon
Blank Swift

Blues - 7 species
Transparent 6line blue
Common Silverline
Long banded Silverline
Angled Pierrot
Indian Sunbeam female
Dark Cerulean
Tiny grass blue

Metal marks - 1 sp
Double banded Judy

Brush footed - 20 species
Lemon Pansy
Chocolate Pansy
Grey Pansy
Rustic
Common leopard
Common crow
Blue tiger
Glassy tiger
Striped tiger
Plain tiger
Baron
Common Castor
Angled castor
Tawny coster
Danaid eggfly
Great eggfly
Common fivering
Bush brown sp
Common sailer
Common evening brown

White & yellows - 8 sp
Common Emigrant
Mottled emigrant
Indian wanderer in flight
Pioneer
Common gull
Common grass yellow
Spotless grass yellow
Small grass yellow
Albatross flight

Swallowtails - 6 species
Common Mormon
Blue Mormon
Tailed Jay
Lime
Red Helen
Blue bottle in flight

Total 50 species observed.

Also got common leopard egg laying & one larvae.
Angled Pierrot larvae
Egg laying of common crow
Courtship display of common Mormon & Glassy tiger.

Will post the photos slowly 😀

Happy Butterflying to all 🦋🦋

Celebrating Big Butterfly Month India, September 2022.

Butterfly observations 04.09.2022 Sinhagad Valley, Pune, Maharashtra..

Members
Pavan Damoor
Aditya kshirsagar

Timing: 7 am to 10 pm

List of butterflies observed during the walk

Family: Hesperidae
Malabar Spotted Flat (1 ) Roosting
Blank Swift (1 ) yet to id - Roosting
Vindhyan Bob (1) - Basking

Family: Lycaenidae
NIL (No blues were observed)

Family: Riodinidae
Nil

Family: Nymphalidae

Plain tiger (3 ) Basking
Blue tiger (1) in flight
Glassy tiger (2) basking/ in flight
Common Crow (2 to 3) nectaring/ in flight
Rustic (1) in flight
Common leopard (2) in flight
Chocolate Pansy (1) basking

Family: Pieridae

Common grass yellow (10 to 12) roosting & Larvae around 15 to 20
Small grass yellow (1) roosting
Common Emigrant (in flight)
Common wanderer female (1) basking
Common Gull (1) basking
Pioneer (1) basking
Common Jezebel in flight

Family: Papiolionadae
NIL

Butterflies observed from 9 am to 9:30 am (1/2 hour Butterfly Count)

Common grass Yellow (10 nos)
Blank Swift (1)
Skipper in flight (1)
Glassy tiger (1)
Common crow (2)
Chocolate Pansy (1)
Pioneer (1)
Plain Tiger (2)
Common Emigrant (1)
Blue Tiger (1)
Common leopard (2)

It has rained the previous night so we decided to go for a quick butterfly observation on Sunday 04.09.
Early morning as we left home it was cloudy, but later on the Sunrise happened around 7:30 am.

Overall the butterfly activity was very low today with only 16 to 17 species that were observed. Surprisingly not a single butterfly was observed from the Lycaenidae family.
There was abundance of Common grass Yellow's and got to see plenty of Larvae's in different stages.

We also performed a half an hour butterfly count from 9 to 9:30 am and observed around 22 in numbers.

The photos have been uploaded on inaturalist.org site.

Happy Butterflying to all..

Butterfly observations 28.08.2022, Tamhini, Pune.

Members
Pavan Damoor
Aditya kshirsagar

Timing: 8 am to 1 pm

List of butterflies observed during the walk

Family: Hesperidae

1. Common Banded Awl - 1 no
2. Tamil Spotted flat (10 to 12 nos)
3. Malabar Spotted Flat (4 to 5 nos)
4. Bengal Spotted flat (1 no) - to be identified
5. Black Angle - 1
6. Common small flat - (2 nos)
7. Water Snow flat (5 to 6 nos)
8. Palm dart - (2 nos)
9. Blank Swift (1 no)
10. Branded Swift (8 nos)
11. Bush Hopper (1 no)
12. Chestnut Bob (2 nos)
13. Grass Demon (5 nos)

Family: Lycaenidae

1. Indian Sunbeam - Male and female
2. Angled Pierrot (3 to 4)
3. Common Line blue (1
4. Tailless line blue (1)
5. Nacaduba species (3)

Family: Riodinidae

1. Double banded Judy

Family: Nymphalidae

1. Plain tiger (1 no)
2. Blue tiger (3 to 4)
3. Glassy tiger (5 to 6)
4. Common Crow (2 to 3
5. Common Nawab - 1 no in flight
6. Common Evening brown (1)
7. Common fivering (1)
8. Rustic (2)
9. Common leopard (2)
10. Common Castor (2)
11. Chocolate Pansy (12)
12. Lemon Pansy (1 no)
13. Danaid eggfly male
14. Blue oakleaf (3 to 4)
15. King Crow - 1 no (Lifer)

Family: Pieridae

1. Common grass yellow (10 to 12)
2. Small grass yellow
3. Common Emigrant
4. Common wanderer -4
5. Chocolate Albatross - 1 no - in flight
6. Common Jezebel in flight

Family: Papiolionadae

1. Tailed Jay in flight
2. Common Mormon (f)
3. Blue Mormon (5 to 6)

It was a sunny day today at Tamhini and no rains at all.
Early morning activity started with Skippers on bird droppings and later on flowers. We observed lots of Tamil Spotted flats in one stretch around 6 to 7 nos and in between the Bengal Spotted flat gave us an surprise by giving only few record shots and vanished away into the forest.

Also got one Nacaduba species female egg laying. Butterfly yet to identify.

Will post the photos soon.

Happy Butterflying to all..

Butterfly walk at Tamhini WLS on 13.03.2022
Group members participated in today's walk
Swanand Kesari
Mayuresh Kulkarni
Dr Himanshu Pandav
Pavan Damoor

Timing. 9 am to 2 pm

sharing the list of butterflies observed during the walk

• Skippers:
1) Brown awl
2) Black angle
3) Dark palm dart
4) chestnut angle

• Blues:

5) *Genus Nacaduba
6) Common lineblue
7) Tailless line blue
8) Forget me not
9) Pea blue
10) Long banded silverline
11) common silverline
12) Angled pierrot
13) Common pierrot
14) Grass jewel
15) Pointed ciliate blue
16) Quaker
17) Malayan
18) Hedge blue
19) Dark cerulean

• Metalmarks:
20) Double banded judy

• Brush footed butterflies:

21) Common crow
22) plain tiger
23) Glassy tiger
24) Dark blue tiger
25) Common sailer
26) Common sergeant
27) Plain tawny rajah
28) common leopard
29) Rustic
30) Club beak
31) Common evening brown
32) Lemon pansy
33) Chocolate pansy
34) Blue pansy
35) Yellow pansy
36) Grey pansy
37) Peacock Pansy
38) Common tree brown
39) Common Baron
40) Gaudy Baron
41) Sahyadri blue Oakleaf
42) Commander
43) Black prince
44) Common map
45) Indian nawab

• Whites and yellows

46) Common grass yellow
47) Emigrant (in flight)
48) Common gull

• Swallowtails:

49) Common Mormon
50) Blue mormon
51) Narrow banded bluebottle (fl)
52) Red Helen
53) Spot swordtail (fl)
54) Common Rose
55) lime Swallowtail

Today's overall activity was good but a few species like the Flash & guava blues didn't show up, even skipper activity was very low.
There was a heavy breeze due to which few butterflies were not ready to come down on the stream also.
The water level has increased in the streams as it had rained which is another reason for low activity as the Butterflies might be visiting various mud puddling patches.
Continuous visits to this habitat are giving us surprises, last month we managed to get a new record for Pune district "Sahyadri silver royal" which was a superb sighting for all of us.
And today's showstopper was the Indian spot swordtail which was the first sighting in Tamhini and we were all surprised by its presence. the butterfly was seen in flight around 12 noon but didn't show up and vanished into the forest. Hope to get a record shot of the beauty in the next walks.

sharing a few unedited photos. 😀

Happy Butterflying to all 🦋🦋

DGVA Baner Hills, Butterfly Walk - Sunday 28 Nov 2021
Butterfly observations at Baner hill on 28.11.2021

Members of BOP
Narendra Bhagwat
Pavan Damoor
Ashwini & family
Pankaj
& Many Members of Dr. Garudkar Vasundhara Team (DGVA)

List of butterflies observed

Family: Swallowtail

1. Common Mormon

2. Lime Swallowtail
   Lime Swallowtail egg laying on Lemon & 2 larva's of different stages

3. Common Jay (flight)

Family: Nymphalidae

1. Common castor
2. Baronet
3. Chocolate Pansy
4. Lemon Pansy
5. Yellow Pansy
6. Plain tiger Adult & Pupa
7. Striped tiger
8. Common crow (flight)
9. Glassy tiger (flight)
10. Blue tiger
11. Danaid eggfly
12. Common Sailer (flight)
13. Common Leopard
14. Tawny Coster (flight)
15. Common Threering

Family: Pieridae

1. Common grass yellow
2. Common emigrant Adult and larva
3. Common Jezebel
4. Striped Albatross

Family: Lycaenidae

1. Lesser grass blue
2. Dark grass blue
3. Slate flash
4. Red flash
5. Zebra blue
6. Common Pierrot
7. Red Pierrot
8. Oriental grass jewel
9. Pea blue
10. Gram blue
11. Small Cupid

Family: Hesperiidae

1. Common banded Awl larva on host plant Pingomia Pinnata

Activity was very slow today due to cold weather and heavy breeze in the air.

Happy Butterflying to all ....

Members

1. Pavan Damoor
2. Dr Himanshu Pandav
3. Kushal Damoor, age 14 years

List of butterflies observed

Family: Hesperiidae

1. Tamil Spotted Flat
2. Common Small Flat
3. Brown Awl
4. Water Snow Flat
5. Grass demon
6. Dark Palm dart
7. Rice swift
8. Common dart
9. Chestnut Bob
10. Blank swift

Family: Lycaenidae

1. Apefly
2. Forget me not
3. Angled Pierrot
4. Pointed ciliate blue
5. Common Cerulean
6. Tailless line blue

Family: Riodinidae
17 Double banded Judy

Family: Nymphalidae

1. Glassy tiger
2. Common crow
3. Common & Dark evening brown
4. Common bushbrown
5. Common Fourring
6. Common Fivering
7. Rustic
8. Common Leopard
9. Common Sergeant
10. Common Sailer
11. Common castor
12. Chocolate Pansy
13. Grey Pansy
14. Peacock Pansy
15. Lemon Pansy
16. Blue tiger
17. Blue oakleaf
18. Indian Nawab
19. Common lascar
20. Bamboo treebrown
21. Common treebrown
22. Baron

Family: Pieridae

1. Common grass yellow
2. Three spot grass yellow
3. Common emigrant
4. Psyche
5. Common wanderer
6. Chocolate Albatross
7. Common Gull

Family: Papilionidae

1. Common Mormon
2. Blue Mormon
3. Red Helen

Got egg laying of Angled Pierrot and Caterpillar of 2 stages

Today's showstopper is Chocolate Albatross (lifer)

Happy Butterflying to all