Rice Paper Butterfly

Okay, so I was really bored today (I know, I know I should be studying for my exams and all that) but let's not talk about what "should've" been and talk about what I did instead! So I was just hanging around the house earlier today when I noticed a very pretty and delicate like butterfly fluttering, no fluttering is not the word... try *floating* amongst the flowers. Naturaly I reached for my camera, only to find out that I had forgot to turn it off since filming my butterfly eclosure yesterday and so when I turned it on, all I got was a pitch black screen with the words "Change battery pack". 



Butterfly Sketch *click on the photo for an enlarged view*

A Butterfly in the Hand...

Fortunately for me, I have gained some skill as an artist over the past few years and I decided to spend my afternoon sketching instead. Took out my old field journal, a simple black pen and began sketching. It was really difficult because the butterfly just wouldn't sit still but I managed to net it, put it in a glass jar and sketch it for a few minutes (I released it afterwards of course!!!). I think the sketch is really not bad, if i do say so myself. Nothing much to colour in because the butterfly itself is just a plain black and white. I identified this butterfly as a Rice Paper Butterfly, or Large Tree Nymph (Idea Leuconoe), probably named because of its graceful flight which is more like tissue paper being blown in the breeze than anything else I can compare it with! Also if I'm not mistaken these butterflies have some of the most beautiful chrysalis ever! Gold in colour with little black spots going down the side (and I do mean Gold, not just "yellow" or "orange") 



Idea Leuconoe Chrysalids
at the Penang Butterfly
Farm.

 Anyway that's pretty much all I have for today. Just three more catterpillars in my upgraded butterfly house (which I have been dying to blog about but never quite had the time nor inspiration to yet) and I think I will put a break to the butterfly breeding programme to maybe take a trip to Cambodia, after my formal graduation from Monash University at the end of this year. In the meantime though, here's to lots of smiles for all of you, my awesome readers for what's left of year 2010 which I'm sure has as much (if not more) ups as it had downs.

Favourite quote of the day:
Guy1: "Rugged, is that the same as handsome?"
Guy2: "Oh no, no. Handsome means he looks at himself in the mirror all day. Rugged means you look at him!"



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