A Butterfly Trip in Bhutan, May 2017

[Angiud]

Kindly invited by a local Tour operator, thanks to the great connections of the friend and expert butterfly and bird guide Sonam Dorji, I had the great chance to visit this beautiful and mysterious Kingdom nestled at the base of the Eastern Himalayan range.



http://i64.tinypic.com/2j4t2x3.jpg



First day, driving from Paro airport to Punakha, we passed a 4000 mt pass with a great environment where I had the chance to find the famous Common Yellow Swallowtail, easy find in Europe but uncommon for me.



http://i64.tinypic.com/ixyuqt.jpg



https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4224/34180428234_b59961bc6e_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/U5pCub)
The Common Yellow Swallowtail - Papilio machaon hookeri (https://flic.kr/p/U5pCub)


The quick look to this Alpine environment, rich of several species of Primula, was paid by the sight of this common small mammal.



https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4247/34214028963_b72e8ef319_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/U8nQP6)
Primula denticulata (https://flic.kr/p/U8nQP6)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4248/35024545665_f4136e150f_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/VmZXbZ)
The Large-eared Pika (https://flic.kr/p/VmZXbZ)


Few hours of hard road drove us to the first, beautiful stop of this trip, Punakha.

[Angiud]

Punakha, once capital of the small kingdom, is a small town settled in a green valley in the confluence of 2 rivers and few valleys. At 1200 mt asl the weather was nice and mild and the nearby Jigme Dorji National Park was of course our primary destination.


https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4247/34197521324_b49292cbe6_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/U6VeEC)
The famous Punakha Dzong (castle) (https://flic.kr/p/U6VeEC)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4271/34974482771_ab817a0fc7_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/VhzneD)
A 7000 Sight from Jigme Dorji National Park (https://flic.kr/p/VhzneD)

http://i64.tinypic.com/2weyln7.jpg
A Stupa in the Punakha valley

http://i67.tinypic.com/107md5z.jpg
A view from our hotel room

http://i64.tinypic.com/2s9w3gn.jpg
The entrance of the National Park

http://i67.tinypic.com/11t7b43.jpg
Beautiful environment at Jigme Dorji National Park

http://i64.tinypic.com/o0qix4.jpg
Jigme Dorji National Park

[Angiud]

BUTTERFLIES FROM PUNAKHA-JIGME DORJI NATIONAL PARK



https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4219/34129330073_dd6f336a75_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/TZTJMp)
The Glassy Buebottle - Graphium cloanthus cloanthus (https://flic.kr/p/TZTJMp)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4250/34833135001_1689ef258f_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/V55Vt8)
The Variegated Sailer (the Himalayan Sailor) - Neptis melba (Neptis armandia melba),
not sure about the proper name... (https://flic.kr/p/V55Vt8)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4198/34096793624_25fec0c7a3_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/TX1YQ9)
The Dusky Blue Cupid - Everes huegelii dipora (https://flic.kr/p/TX1YQ9)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4240/34230538423_b7f4c3c269_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/U9QsuX)
The Hill Jezebel - Delias belladonna lugens,
an unusual ssp. missing the two inner edge yellow bands (https://flic.kr/p/U9QsuX)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4290/34910376241_d8294786c5_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/VbUNAD)
The Azure Sapphire - Heliophorus moorei moorei (https://flic.kr/p/VbUNAD)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4272/35001720216_a392aaf36a_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/VjYXYL)
The Azure Sapphire - Heliophorus moorei moorei (https://flic.kr/p/VjYXYL)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4198/34879696262_5b15d57c66_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/V9cyvu)
The Lucas' Ace - Sovia lucasii separata (https://flic.kr/p/V9cyvu)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4280/35020707706_5b4ebf70a8_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/VmEhih)
The Great Blackvein - Aporia agathon agathon (https://flic.kr/p/VmEhih)

[Angiud]

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4216/34747498400_3a0c6065c3_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/UWw1G1)
The Krishna Peacock - Papilio krishna krishna,
IMHO one of the most beautiful of the Achillides group (https://flic.kr/p/UWw1G1)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4212/35061018945_28371312ee_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/VqdTqD)
The Tailed Redbreast - Papilio bootes janaka (https://flic.kr/p/VqdTqD)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4261/34220158074_5123a9f807_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/U8VfMq)
The Himalayan White Flat - Seseria dohertyi dohertyi (https://flic.kr/p/U8VfMq)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4280/35130826115_33fb270417_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/VwoEEx)
The Striped Punch - Dodona adonira adonira (https://flic.kr/p/VwoEEx)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4288/34320942233_81024cda65_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/UhPNpk)
The Striped Punch - Dodona adonira adonira (https://flic.kr/p/UhPNpk)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4243/34301886414_95b4b3eab9_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Ug98LJ)
The Tailed Punch - Dodona eugenes venox (https://flic.kr/p/Ug98LJ)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4266/35015938571_17c7a90d53_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/VmeQAP)
The Tailed Punch - Dodona eugenes venox (https://flic.kr/p/VmeQAP)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4261/34337149203_3203e3ab84_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/UjfSaR)
The Lesser Punch - dodona dipoea dipoea (https://flic.kr/p/UjfSaR)

[Peacock Royal]

Beautiful landscape and butterfly shots
Thanks for sharing, Antonio

[Angiud]

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4259/35004617056_2bdec4068a_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/VkeP7h)
The Yellow Sailor - Neptis ananta ochracea (https://flic.kr/p/VkeP7h)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4262/34657137480_364e52198b_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/UNwTx7)
The Yellow Sailor - Neptis ananta ochracea (https://flic.kr/p/UNwTx7)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4231/34201668544_267e9f7234_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/U7huuq)
The Pale Hockeystick Sailor - Neptis manasa manasa (https://flic.kr/p/U7huuq)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4215/35006583166_2ecd9a8275_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/VkpTyJ)
The Pale Hockeystick Sailor - Neptis manasa manasa (https://flic.kr/p/VkpTyJ)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4254/34881412702_54dd7a26d0_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/V9mmKh)
The Pale Green Sailor - Neptis zaida bhutanica (https://flic.kr/p/V9mmKh)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4235/34320380313_da614de543_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/UhLVn4)
The Broad-banded Sailor - Naptis sankara amba (https://flic.kr/p/UhLVn4)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4198/34317111133_00118aa9d0_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/UhuaxT)
The Bhutan Sergeant - Athyma jina jina (https://flic.kr/p/UhuaxT)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4284/34282518734_aba5711dc4_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/UeqSrd)
The Bhutan Sergeant - Athyma jina jina (https://flic.kr/p/UeqSrd)

[Angiud]

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4262/34727586493_5ba7617099_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/UUKXzg)
The Great Hockeystick Sailor - Phaedima aspasia falda (https://flic.kr/p/UUKXzg)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4286/35537022635_2972283d59_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/W9hwJP)
The Great Hockeystick Sailor - Phaedima aspasia falda (https://flic.kr/p/W9hwJP)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4240/35353721021_671419def9_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/VS64ya)
The Talbot's Chestnut Tiger - Parantica pedonga (https://flic.kr/p/VS64ya)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4255/34673005813_3f438559a8_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/UPWdD4)
The Yellow Coster - Acraea issoria issoria (https://flic.kr/p/UPWdD4)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4208/35441446356_c443c379f9_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/VZQFeW)
The Common forester - Lethe isana dinarbus
or INSANA? (https://flic.kr/p/VZQFeW)

[Angiud]

Phobjikha valley

As Wiki says, The Phobjikha Valley is a vast U-shaped glacial valley, at an average altitude of 3000 mt, also known as Gangteng Valley named after the impressive Gangteng Monastery of the Nyingma sect in central Bhutan, where the graceful black-necked cranes in Bhutan (Grus nigricollis) from the Tibetan Plateau visit the valley during the winter season to roost.

The broad valley with its best-known marshland in Bhutan, is popular for its scenic splendour and cultural uniqueness. The valley is rich in faunal biodiversity and has, apart from the globally threatened black-necked cranes Grus nigricollis, 13 other globally threatened species. Within the ambit of the valley, an area of about 163 square kilometres (63 sq mi) has been declared a protected area, which is managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Nature (RSPN), for the protection of nature, authorized to manage, on lease basis, by the Ministry of Agriculture.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4201/34961677562_ce420d9953_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/VgrJGb)
Phobjikha valley (https://flic.kr/p/VgrJGb)


http://i65.tinypic.com/10dursx.jpg
Phobjikha valley


http://i68.tinypic.com/lfc76.jpg
Phobjikha valley


http://i64.tinypic.com/20kyuzd.jpg
Around the pass to the valley at about 3500 mt


http://i66.tinypic.com/vigpjb.jpg
The road to the valley can be hard, but definitely adventurous


https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4280/34961368562_fff1019a3a_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Vgq9QA)
Gangtey Monastery (https://flic.kr/p/Vgq9QA)


https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4214/34739325130_0d35a077d1_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/UVN84y)
Gangtey Monastery (https://flic.kr/p/UVN84y)

[Angiud]

Butterflies at Phobjikha valley


https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4203/34899585992_77ff125825_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/VaXv2S)
The Common Copper - Lycaena phlaeas phlaeas (https://flic.kr/p/VaXv2S)


https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4231/34899585622_c101105750_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/VaXuVu)
The Common Copper - Lycaena phlaeas phlaeas (https://flic.kr/p/VaXuVu)


https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4225/34918896892_fed80af12f_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/VcEtuq)
The Large Silverstripe - Argynnis childreni childreni (https://flic.kr/p/VcEtuq)


https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4207/34918895572_0a4d71ca71_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/VcEt6E)
The Large Silverstripe - Argynnis childreni childreni (https://flic.kr/p/VcEt6E)


https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4254/35063190616_7ec88c2d1e_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Vqq1Zf)
The Dark Clouded Yellow - Colias fieldii fieldii (https://flic.kr/p/Vqq1Zf)


https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4207/34293400913_7cf12e4c1d_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/UfoDjZ)
The Queen of Spain Fritillary - Issoria isaeea (https://flic.kr/p/UfoDjZ)


https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4231/34716594850_cef9524a32_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/UTMC9b)
The Queen of Spain Fritillary - Issoria isaeea (https://flic.kr/p/UTMC9b)


https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4233/34717054350_de2f6602a9_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/UTPYJA)
The Himalayan Grass Dart - Taractrocera danna (https://flic.kr/p/UTPYJA)

[Commander]

Is the terrain as difficult as in Thailand? :) Nice landscapes and buildings too...

[Bluebottle]

Beautiful butterfly and landscape photos!