Margaret Hong, a student who read LSM1303 Animal Behaviour asked me about a moth she encountered recently at Kent Ridge Hall:
“I came across this beautiful black moth; can you help me identify it?
The moth has been coming back quite regularly in the past 24 hours except during the daytime. I’m starting to grow fond of it, despite the initial scare it gave me when it perched right beside my door, staring at me near eye level.
I took two pictures but the lighting’s quite bad cuz I was afraid the flash would startle it.”
She also sent me a clearer picture a friend of her had taken and posted on facebook. Yes, they were all photos of Lyssa zampa, the tropical swallowtail moth. It was lovely that she wrote to ask.
I will ask her to submit her record via the link provided in the note about Lyssa zampa in Habitatnews; five people have submitted records from Serangoon, Carpenter Street, Holland Close, Jalan Besar and Bishan which adds to our sighting at Bukit Timah yesterday. I’ll be compiling all of these for an update in Habitatnews later.
Otterman speaks... 