Butterfly Watching in Minahasa Highland

I have just explored the highland of Minahasa especially the forest and flower garden areas in Sonder town to see its wildlife. I saw a lot of interesting animals including butterflies. I took pictures of some of them. 

A big butterfly that I saw in the Sonder forest of Minahasa was Blanchard's Ghost Butterfly (Idea blanchardii). It was a big butterfly whose wingspan was around 12 to 14 centimeters. According to Wikipedia, the butterfly was named Idea blandchardii, after a French zoologist and entomologist, Charles Émile Blanchard (1819-1900). 

Blanchard's Ghost Butterfly in the Highland of Minahasa

One that attracts my attention was a big butterfly whose wings were larger than other butterflies. The main colors of the butterfly were black and bright yellow. Later, when I did searches on the internets for identifying the butterfly, I found that its name was Troides helena. The wingspan of this Helena Birdwing Butterfly was around 12 centimeters. It was difficult for me to take pictures of the butterfly because it hopped from one flower to another when taking their nectar. 

In Greek mythology, Helena or Helen was the daughter of Zeus (the god of sky and thunder). She was said to have been the most beautiful woman in the world. 

Helena Birdwing Butterfly

Another butterfly whose colour patterns on the wings are unique was Clipper Butterfly (Parthenos sylvia salentia). It could easily be found among the flowers of trees and shrub plants in the mornings when I did walking tours. 

Sulawesi Clipper Butterfly

The Clipper

Sulawesi Leafwing Butterfly

There was also Sulawesi Leafwing Butterfly (Doleschallia polibete celebensis), Manado Yellow Tiger Butterfly (Parantica menadensis). The butterfly could easily be seen hanging on flowers of tall grass along the roadside of Minahasa highland. This butterfly was not shy when I took picture of it.

Manado Yellow Tiger Butterfly

The next photographs below are the Blanchard's Wood Nymp butterfly (Ideopsis vitrea), the Neptis ida celebensis, Lime Swallowtail (Papilio demoleos), Sacred Tabby (Pseudergolis avesta) and Gigon Swallowtail (Papilio gigon). 

Blanchard's Wood Nymph

Neptis ida

Lime Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus)

Sacred Tabby

Gigon Swallowtail

Where is Sonder and how to get there?

Sonder is a small town in Minahasa regency of North Sulawesi Province in the Republic of Indonesia. It can easily be reached by car or motorcycle from Manado city which is the capital of Indonesia. To visit Sonder town, see the following flight routes:

• International visitors need to fly from their countries to Singapore. After that, take a direct flight by Scoot Air to Manado city.
• International visitors can also fly to Jakarta, Surabaya or Denpasar and then continue their trip by domestic airlines such as Batik Air, Citilink, and Lion Air to Manado city.
• There is also direct flight between Manado city and Sorong city.

Traveling to Manado city

When you arrive in Manado city, I could meet you at the airport and then organize your trip to Sonder town. 

There are a lot of other butterflies that we can see in Minahasa if we explore its rainforest and farmland areas. If you are interested in traveling to Indonesia and want me to organize your tour, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com. 

Also read:

• Birding in North Sulawesi
• Birding Walk in Sonder Town of North Sulawesi