Nature Conservation: Saving the Harlequin


Update :

Close to 100 pupae are expected to eclose within the next 2-3 days.


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Cheers!
 

Part II of Saving the Harlequin has been posted at Butterflies of Singapore Blog


Some of the pupae had eclosed, sharing here a sequence of shots of a female .

Video of the emergence is still being edited , will link later.



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Cheers!
 

Great Effort, really respect you guys!

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
 

Update :

Around 60 Harlequins eclosed in the last few days .

These are housed in the breeding cages. I am keeping my fingers crossed that they will mate and lay us more eggs for Phase II of the project.

A local environmentally-friendly organization roped in to collaborate with ButterflyCircle in this conservation project, was supplied and reinforced from our stock of eggs, caterpillars and pupae . These are doing fine in their hands, this collaboration is to spread the risk and also as an alternative breeding source for this project.

Pupae Board
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Pupae Holding Cage
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Breeding cage - 2 tiers
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Breeding cage
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Cheers!
 

Thank You Peng Eik,

Here are a few shots of approx. 60 males and females Harlequins that were raised from the eggs laid by 12 of the evacuees , some of them have started ovipositing in the last 24 hours.

More details of the Project can be found here at Butterflies of Singapore Blog


Male

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Female

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Cheers!
 

First Release:

A video clip , sharing the magical moment of a Harlequin eclosing from its pupa under the tender loving care of ButterflyCircle.

A first batch of 22 pupae, ready to eclose within 12 hours were deposited at one of the planned release site (Site A) two weeks ago and all 22 pupae subsequently eclosed successfully unattended . 4 adults were sighted a few days later during a site check. We are keeping our fingers crossed that they had mated and laid eggs on the host plant on the site.

The fact that it is only extant in a small areas where we found them suggested to us that it has an unique set of conditions that allow it to thrive. we have selected the release sites very carefully, other than the present of the host plant, the level of humidity , shades and undergrowth were also taken into consideration.

The rationale to place some pupae to eclose naturally is part of the risk management module of the project. It also serves as a pre-release trial, to ascertain the butterfly's ability to adapt to the new site, prior to the mass introduction in Phrase II.

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:cheers:
 

An Update

A few hundred Harlequin caterpillars are into the 3rd-4th instars.

If all goes well, we will be carrying out the mass release of the Butterflies unto selected sites in the next couple of weeks.

The above Save the Harlequin Project has been sanctioned by NPark's Biodiversity Centre / Conservation Division.

:cheers:
 

Update:

Approximately 250 pupae will be released unto the selected sites within the next 2 days!

Here are some shots of the pupae :

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With more pupating within the next few days.

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Wishing All at CS a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Cheers!
 

The first Mass Release of Harlequin pupae was carried out today on 2 sites , a total of 200+ pupae are in the wild .These pupae should eclosed within the next 48 hours, and it will be up to Mr and Mrs Harlequin to propagate naturally on these 2 sites. More Mass releases have been planned and will be conducted on other selected sites in the coming months.

This conclude the main part of our first attempt in ex situ butterfly conservation which stretched over a period of 20 months: From hostplant identification, monitoring of population statistic, habitat monitoring/observation, selection of new habitat , collection of adults, harvesting of eggs, mass breeding risk management , the caring and breeding from eggs to pupae/ butterfly in a mass scale. With the conclusion of this part of the project we are now better equipped in future for in situ or ex situ butterfly conservation.

We will be moving to the follow up plan which comprises of regular visits to check how they fair in these new habitats, and where necessary and practical to reinforce their presence on these sites.


:cheers:
 

wow looking forward to the video haha there's a lime butterfly pupae at my garden thinking whether to bring it indoors (concerned it wont emerge properly if i mess around with it) and try to do a time lapse video of it (heheh my nikon 5400!)
is a side profile better or other angles are better?
 

Congrats bro..............:)
 

Congrats on winning!

Great job you guys are doing!

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

deserves a 5 out of 4 thumbs up rating! :-] cheers and keep up the good work!