ROUTE 2: SHING MUN BUTTERFLIES – WATCHING CHECKLIST

Stretching over the foothill of southern Tai Mo Shan, the 9-km long catchwater transports water from the other side of the ridge to Shing Mun Reservoir. Lidded Cleistocalyx (Cleistocalyx nervosum) blossoming along the catchwater is the favorite food of choice for Nymphs, Swallowtail and Birdwing. In spring and summer, a great number of butterflies gathers around here. Black-dotted yellowish Rustics (Cupha erymanthis) and Common Jay (Graphium doson) with distinctive jade green bands are frequent visitors.

Reaching the pavilion there await some mango trees (Mangifera indica). Butterflies like Red Helen (Papilio helenus) and Common Jester (Symbrenthia lilaea) flock together for nectar during springtime. Also, mango tree leaf is a food plant for White-edged Blue Baron (Euthalia phemius) caterpillars, hence an ideal place for oviposition.

Heads up! Be surprised by countless Danaids flying among the winter canopies! These are the overwintering Danaids, migrating south to Hong Kong for a warmer shelter. Danaids are comparatively more cold-resistant than butterflies from other families. Research suggests that Shing Mun is the midway for these Huabei-born Danaids. After replenishing their energy with nectar, they will continue their winter journey in other places.

Guess what? A retaining wall becomes a butterfly spot! Retaining wall is built to provide functional support for holding back soil and rock to prevent landslide. Butterflies of lower flight ability, e.g. Metalmarks and Browns—the former have wings which are often half open like a clam when they are at rest, and the latter are featured by different eye spots patterns, are commonly found fluttering around here!

Some butterflies sip water. Therefore, it is worth paying attention to the streams, you may find Common Bluebottles (Graphium sarpedon) and Common Mapwings (Cyrestis thyodamas) taking in water quietly. Butterflies drinking water are prone to be ambushed. Therefore they often group in circle to alert each other when drinking. When one flutters out of fear, the rest will probably fly away at the same time!

Divided by a carriageway, the renowned Butterfly Garden comprises of the upper and lower section. Food plants for butterflies, namely the Lantana (Lantana camara), Chinese Ixora (Ixora chinensis) and Golden Dewdrops (Duranta erecta), are planted throughout the garden, attracting various butterflies in different seasons – Yellow Orange Tip (Ixias pyrene) and Large Faun (Faunis eumeus) in Spring; Common Mapwing (Cyrestis thyodamas) and Paris Peacock (Papilio paris) in Summer; Common Tiger (Danaus genutia) and Transparent Six-line Blue (Nacaduba kurava) in Autumn; and Red-baze Jazebel (Delias pasithoe) and Blue-spotted Crow (Euploea midams) in Winter. You can enjoy butterfly watching around the year!

Good luck or a rotten one? Visit the lower section to encounter these hardly seen butterflies: White Dragontail (Lamproptera curius), Common Rose (Pachliopta aristolochiae) and Common Birdwing (Troides helena)!

The transparent-winged White Dragontail is the smallest species in the family Papilionidae. Common Rose and Common Birdwing are greater species in size with contrasting colours: Common Rose is in black-red, while Common Birdwing is paired by black and yellow.

The reason of their rarity lies in the uncommon food source for their caterpillars. Larvae of White Dragontail prey on Illigera (Illigera celebica), while larvae of Common Rose and Common Birdwing consume India Birthwort (Aristolochia tagala). The immense panoply of plant species in the water gathering ground satisfy the food demand of these butterflies, hence you can expect even the narrowly distributed butterflies inhabit here.

Two areas are designated as Butterfly Paradise in Shing Mun Reservoir, housing over 20 kinds of nectar plants and food plants for butterflies and their larvae. In the upper course there are butterfly food plants like Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum avicennae) and Chinese Gugertree (Schima superba). To fans of Swallowtails & Birdwings, jot the upper course down on your checklist for Common Bluebottle (Graphium sarpedon), Chinese Peacock (Papilio bianor) and Southern Chinese Peacock (Papilio dialis)!

Taking up chiefly by flowering plants, the lower course attracts numerous butterflies for nectar as well, for instance, the everblooming Blood-flower (Asclepias curassavica). One should not neglect the Retuse-leaved Crotalarias (Crotalaria retusa) that allure a great number of male Danaids thronged for sap, which produces a special aroma beneficial to courtship!