The Silky Owl Butterfly (Taenaris catops)

Here is the vector graphic illustration of The Silky Owl butterfly (Taenaris catops) that I made using Macromedia Freehand MX. It was the time when I was learning how to create vector drawing digitally. Macromedia Freehand MX is a powerful software. Unfortunately, after Adobe bought it from Macromedia it has not been updated. The latest Mac operating system cannot run it. Fortunately, the latest Windows can run the application.
I often see the butterfly and other beautiful insects when I guide tourists on a rainforest trekking and camping tour in the jungle of West Papua.

2-Eyed Butterfly T-shirt by tropicalart

Now the digital drawing is available as prints on various products in my zazzle tropical store including t-shirts, cell phone cases, and mugs.

Idea durvillei Butterfly

Idea durvillei butterfly in Waigeo island of Raja Ampat

Idea durvillei is a large black and white butterfly that I see in Mansinam island of Manokwari; Waim islet and Waigeo island of Raja Ampat. They live in coastal forest. I have never seen it in higher montane forest such as Arfak mountains and Tambrauw Mountains. The wings are white decorated with black lines. The abdomen of this beautiful insect is white. From my personal observations, the butterfly likes to find nectar of flowers early in the mornings. In the afternoons when the temperature is high, the butterfly prefers to take a rest on a green leave of shrubs under the shades of big trees. Actually, there are a lot of species of butterflies that we can see when we go hiking in lowland forest including cruiser butterfly - Vindula arsinoe, Silky Owl Butterfly - Taenaris catops, and  the Blue Mountain Swallowtail - Papilio ulysses.  The best months to watch butterflies in West Papua are during dry season June to early December.

Most of my tours are related to birdwatching. However, it does not mean that I don't pay attention to other animals. written by Charles Roring

Butterflies in Susnguakti Forest

Last week, I guided 2 tourists to Susnguakti forest. They were Geoffrey and Jessica. They came from France. First they took international flight to Jakarta - the capital of Indonesia, after that they flew to Manokwari by Batik air. I met them at Swissbel hotel and organized their trip by a chartered transport vehicle to the forest.
We spent 4 days/ 3 nights exploring the forest to see birds of paradise, cuscus possum, reptiles and insects. The forest was located in the south of Manokwari. We went there by chartered pick-up car that was operated by local villagers as public transportation that connects villages in the south and Manokwari city.

Cruiser Butterfly

I saw some butterflies such as The Silky Owl, Cruiser, Blue Mountain Swallowtail and some other species which I could not identify. I saw them along the path to a rose apple tree and near the clearing area of our basecamp. The butterfly came out in the mornings when the sunlight was bright. They landed on leaves to take a rest, or collect nectar of flowers and also collect the salty sweat from our exposed hands, shoulders or feet.