CATERPILLARS OF SINGAPORE'S BUTTERFLIES

Today's weather - sunny

I bought this book, priced at $26, last Friday even though I have been eyeing to buy it for a while now since I read about the recent launch. It was with much trepidation and excitement when I held onto this wonderful book co-authored by Horace Tan and Khew Sin Khoon.


It is a book that was so long in the making since taking photos of different instars of the caterpillars and pupae, of the butterflies, would probably have taken so much time and effort. I paused with abated breath and with butterflies in my stomach before flipping open the first page. 


I think Khew and Horace should go on to produce books on butterflies around this region. It is such a wonderful read and I am glad to have been acquainted with the most knowledgeable Khew years ago.

HORTPARK

I was suddenly reminiscing about HortPark and checked out the web for some recent updates on the gardening hub. A lot of the web photos brought back fond memories and I found some links to the Butterfly Garden. 


This particular post from Mr Khew Sin Khoon, who is a great and nurturing mentor, is so nostalgic and is one of my favourite and memorable ones of that time. The years from 2007 to 2009 were really a key milestone and an awe-inspiring time for me in my personal development and I had the most wonderful and excellent time then. I was enjoying my work so much because there was an immense sense of achievement but we all have to move on, regardless of how much we love something. Sadly, all good things must come to an end.


http://butterflycircle.blogspot.com/2009/06/launch-of-butterfly-garden-at-hort-park.html

10.10.10

Today is 10th October 2010, in short it is 10.10.10. Well, I guess there would be lots of couples tying the knot on this supposedly auspicious date and day? I would have chosen to attend our Butterfly Garden adviser Mr Khew Sin Khoon's book launch but I couldn't make it.

Well, attached is a link on the launch, held at 10 am this morning at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. With the final arrival of his book "A Field Guide to the Butterflies of Singapore", it must be a dream come true for him.

http://wildshores.blogspot.com/2010/10/butt-launch.html

I cannot wait to lay my hands on the book that I got a colleague to buy for me. I actually wanted 2 books with Khew's autograph, but I understand he was so swamped with signing autographs etc that my colleague had to leave for something else.

Anyway, kudos to Khew for the very successful book launch! Awesome!

NB on 11 Oct 10: In the Straits Times, it was reported that 830 couples got married yesterday in Singapore on this once a century date.

ARDISIA ELLIPTICA

This is a highly common native plant with beautiful new leaf flushes, small pink flowers and stunningly red to black berries.

This back mangrove plant from the Myrsinaceae Family has an interesting common name Shoebutton. Ecologically, it is an important host plant for some butterflies and the local butterfly Harlequin (scientific name: Taxila harquinus harquinus) is facing the threats of extinction because of the disappearance of its habitat and breeding sites. Information on this plant and the butterfly can be found in the links below. Mr Khew's website Butterfly Circle provides lots of information on and photos of butterflies. It is definitely a site worth checking out and reading.

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ardisia_elliptica
2. http://butterflycircle.blogspot.com/2007/11/saving-harlequin-part-1.html
3. http://butterflycircle.blogspot.com/2007/11/saving-harlequin-part-2.html