All these years, Madame Butterfly has eluded me, flying perhaps under the similar looking guise of a Colour Sergeant male (cos that’s what she looks like from afar).
The Courtesan – Euripus nyctelius euploeoides
I went with my partner to look for this particularly elusive butterfly and although she flew by me a few times, I kept thinking she was one of the Sailor butterflies until my partner looked closer and realised she was a Courtesan!
Well actually he did much more than that. He scaled several 60 degree slopes around the site. No points for guessing which site (hint: Singapore Cable Cars).
And then he slid down an almost 90 degree slope because the Courtesan kept perching out of reach. He scored himself a tourist photo with one of the tourists at the bottom of the slope looking up in amusement. Yes this location sees a ton of tourists and yet nobody seems to have noticed one of Singapore’s rarest butterfly!
Here’s a photo to help you have an idea of exactly how small the butterfly is.
Yes. Any man or woman who realises how rare this butterfly is WILL do just about anything to get close to her!
Butterfly Effect 