267. Satarupa gopala gopala (The Large White Flat)

Number: 267
Family: Hesperiidae

Sub-Family : Pyrgiinae

Species: Satarupa gopala gopala Moore, [1866]

Common name(s): The Large White Flat

Photography location: Ba Vi foothills (Hanoi)

Monastyrskii & Devyatkin (2016) listed 2 Satarupa species in Vietnam viz. gopala & zulla - the former widespread (N., C.), the latter only recorded from Lao Cai Prov..

Satarupa gopala on bird dropping, May 2017

Same specimen

FW with a serie of 8 irregular-shaped white spots recurving transversely from costal margin before the apex to near posterior margin, being there joined by a white longitudinal streak; a similar triangular-shaped spot whithin the discoidal cell. HW pure white, with the base and narrowly along anterior margin maroon-brown; a double row of black marginal spots, the interspace between the rows being suffused with bluish grey (from Moore's original description, in "On the Lepidopterous Insects of Bengal. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London". Pg. 780). 

 Figure of Satarupa gopala from Moore's original description

Frederic Moore was a British entomologist. He was also an illustrator and produced six volumes of Lepidoptera Indica. 

Frederic Moore (1830-1907)

266. Abraximorpha davidii elfina (The Mimic Flat)

Number: 266
Family: Hesperiidae

Sub-Family : Pyrgiinae

Species: Abraximorpha davidii elfina Evans, 1949

Common name(s): The Mimic Flat

Photography location: Cuc Phuong N.P. (Ninh Binh Prov.)

Abraximorpha is a small Asian genus of Pyrgine skippers comprising 4 known species - davidii, esta, heringi & pieridoides.  Monastyrskii & Devyatkin (2016) listed 3 species in Vietnam viz. davidii, esta & heringi.

In 2016, Huang et al. established the new genus Albiphasma for Abraximorpha heringi and A. pieridoides.

Abraximorpha davidii elfina, Cuc Phuong N.P., May 2017
This species mimics some moths of the Arctidae and Geometridae families (i.e. Abraxas)

Another individual, same locality

The end of the road...
Specimen captured by Lynx spiders (family Oxyopidae). This active spiders do not build a nest or web but capture their prey by pouncing upon them

264. Pelopidas assamensis (The Great Swift)

Number: 264

Family: Hesperiidae
Sub-Family: Hesperiinae

Species: Pelopidas assamensis (de Nicéville, 1882)

Common name(s): The Great Swift

Photography location: Ba Vi foothills (Hanoi)

Six species of Pelopidas are currently known to occur in Vietnam viz. agna, mathias, subochracea, conjuncta, sinensis & assamensis. The latter is the largest species of the genus and is therefore quite distinct when seen in the wild.

Pelopidas assamensis, Ba Vi foothills (April 2017)
I'm pretty sure this is the correct ID - unfortunately, I was unable to catch it to examine upperwing pattern

251. Tagiades gana sangarava (The Large Snow Flat)

Number: 251
Family: Hesperiidae

Sub-Family : Pyrgiinae

Species: Tagiades gana sangarava Fruhstorfer, 1910

Common name(s): The Large Snow Flat

Photography location: Tam Dao foothills (Vinh Phuc Prov.)

Tagiades butterflies are popularly known as Snow Flats because of the pure white patches on the hindwings of many species, and the flat resting posture. The genus comprises 17 known species. According to Monastyrskii & Devyatkin (2016), 7 are currently known in Vietnam: japetus, gana, parra, litigiosa, menaka, cohaerens & hybridus - the last one described from central VN in 2001.

Menaka, litigiosa, parra, hybridus and cohaerens show in both sexes large white tornal area of HW reaching space 4, unlike japetus and gana.

A very chewed up Tagiades gana (Tam Dao, mid-October 2015) - presumably a female

Despite its bad condition, it's obvious that this specimen had a very narrow white tornal area on HW (some residual white scales are still visible)

233. Tagiades parra gala (The Multi-spotted Snow Flat)

Number: 233

Family: Hesperiidae
Sub-Family : Pyrgiinae

Species: Tagiades parra gala Evans, 1949

Common name(s): The Multi-spotted Snow Flat

Photography location: Ba Vi N.P. foothills (Hanoi)

The genus Tagiades comprises 17 known species. According to Monastyrskii & Devyatkin (2016), 7 have been recorded in Vietnam: japetus, gana, hybridus, parra, litigiosa, menaka & cohaerens.

Menaka, litigiosa, parra, hybridus and cohaerens show in both sexes large white tornal area of HW reaching space 4, unlike japetus and gana. 

Tagiades parra gala sipping nectar from Lantana flowers (Ba Vi, January 7, 2017) - my third Tagiades species seen around Hanoi

Same individual
Note the postdiscal HW spots 4 & 5 clumped into a large spot 

226. Matapa sasivarna (The Black-veined Branded Redeye)

Number: 226

Family: Hesperiidae

Sub-Family : Hesperiinae

Species: Matapa sasivarna (Moore, [1866])

Common name(s): The Black-veined Branded Redeye

Photography location: Tam Dao foothills (Vinh Phuc Prov.)

Matapa sasivarna, lower slopes of Tam Dao, 26th October 2016

 Note the extensive metallic green hair scales on body (photos taken without flash).

225. Pirdana hyela rudolphii (The Green-striped Palmer)

Number: 225

Family: Hesperiidae

Sub-Family : Hesperiinae

Species: Pirdana hyela rudolphii Elwes & de Nicéville, [1887]

Common name(s): The Green-striped Palmer

Photography location: Tam Dao foothills (Vinh Phuc Prov.)

Pirdana hyela rudolphii, 13th November 2016

207. Matapa aria/druna

Number: 207

Family: Hesperiidae

Sub-Family : Hesperiinae

Species: Matapa aria or M. druna

Common name(s): 

Photography location: Foothills of Tam Dao (Vinh Phuc Prov.)

According to Monastyrskii  & Devyatkin (2016), 4 species of Matapa are recorded from Vietnam: cresta, aria, druna and sasivarna.

M. druna can be easily confused with M. aria, but the male of the former has a large & curved grey brand whereas it is narrow in aria. 
From the shot below, I am unable to come to a firm identification.

Matapa aria/druna, lower slopes of Tam Dao, 18th Sept. 2016
Despite low-light conditions, this photo was taken without a flash in order not to alter the color of the subject.

206. Gerosis sinica narada (The White Yellow-breasted Flat)

Number: 206

Family: Hesperiidae
Sub-Family : Pyrgiinae

Species: Gerosis sinica narada (Moore,1884)

Common name(s):The White Yellow-breasted Flat

Photography location: Tam Dao (Vinh Phuc Prov.)

According to Monastyrskii  & Devyatkin (2016), 5 species of Gerosis are known from Vietnam: G. sinica narada, G. phisara phisara, G. bhagava bhagava, G. limax dirae, G. tristis gaudialis. Only sinica and phisara are recorded from the North of the country.
Gerosis sinica narada ranges from Sikkim to Myanmar, N.Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, China.

Strolling slowly and enjoying the morning breeze without taking any shot for close to an hour, I finally spotted this Gerosis sinica narada resting beneath a leaf above my head. It was tame but not the kind of perch any photographer would like to shoot. Tam Dao (900m asl), 16th Sept. 2016

205. Baoris farri (The Bamboo Paintbrush Swift)

Number: 205

Family: Hesperiidae

Sub-Family : Hesperiinae

Species: Baoris farri (Moore, 1878)

Common name(s): The Bamboo Paintbrush Swif

Photography location: Tam Dao foothills (Vinh Phuc Prov.)

Four species of Baoris are recorded from Vietnam: B. farri, B. oceia, B. penicillata, B. pagana.

Baoris farri sunbathing on leaves. Note the spotless hindwing
This quite large skipper is recorded throughout the country

The forewing has hyaline spots in spaces 2-4, 6-8 and 2 cell spots. The female is usually fully spotted and has an additional non-hyaline spot in space 1b on the forewing (visible in this shot). The hindwing does not bear any spot, but the male has a black hair tuft in the cell on top of a scent pouch (hence "Paintbrush" in its common name). 

204. Coladenia agni sundae/agnioides

Number: 204

Family: Hesperiidae
Sub-Family : Pyrgiinae

Species: Coladenia agni sundae or C. agnioides

Common name(s):

Photography location: Tam Dao foothills (Vinh Phuc Prov.)

According to Monastyrskii  & Devyatkin (2016), 6 species of Coladenia are recorded from Vietnam: C. tanya, C. agni sundae, C. indrani uposathra, C. agnioides, C. laxmi sobrina, C. koiwayai (=C. fenestrata).

According to A. Monastyrskii (pers. comm.), C. agnioides is similar to C. agni sundae, but the male has a conspicuous white dot outward the central brand in the space 1b of the underside of the forewing. My specimen is a female therefore it is difficult to make a conclusion.

Female nectaring on Blue Porterweed (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis) - Tam Dao (500m asl), mid-August 2016

Same individual, view of the underside pattern

203. Celaenorrhinus asmara consertus (The White-banded Flat)

Number: 203

Family: Hesperiidae
Sub-Family : Pyrgiinae

Species: Celaenorrhinus asmara consertus de Nicéville, 1890

Common name(s): The White-banded Flat

Photography location: Tam Dao (Vinh Phuc Prov.)

Celaenorrhinus asmara consertus, Tam Dao, ca 500m asl

Celaenorrhinus asmara consertus on Blue Porterweed (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis) - an extremely popular nectar source for a wide variety of butterflies

This plant, which belongs to the Verbenaceae family, is native from tropical America and naturalized throughout tropics

194. Celaenorrhinus aspersa (The Large Streaked Flat)

Number: 194

Family: Hesperiidae
Sub-Family : Pyrgiinae

Species: Celaenorrhinus aspersa Leech,1891

Common name(s): The Large Streaked Flat

Photography location: Tam Dao (Vinh Phuc Prov.)

This species is recorded from Assam, N. Myanmar, N. Thailand, N. & C. Vietnam, Hainan, China.

Celaenorrhinus aspersa (at least the specimen on the left, the other one I am not sure) feeding on flower nectar
(21th June 2016, summit of Tam Dao/alt.1200m asl)

A very handsome little chap

193. Pithauria stramineipennis stramineipennis (The Light Straw Ace)

Number: 193

Family: Hesperiidae

Sub-Family : Hesperiinae

Species: Pithauria stramineipennis stramineipennis Wood-Mason & de Niceville, [1887]

Common name(s): The Light Straw Ace

Photography location: Tam Dao foothills (Vinh phuc Prov.)

This large-sized Hesperid is known to occur from Sikkim to Hainan and south to Sumatra.
Four species of Pithauria are recorded from Vietnam - stramineipennis, linus, murdava and marsena (Monastyrskii & Devyatkin, 2016).

A view of its uppersides showing the cream suffusion on the base of the forewings

192. Thoressa monastyrskyi monastyrskyi (The Monastyrsky's Ace)

Number: 192

Family: Hesperiidae

Sub-Family : Hesperiinae

Species: Thoressa monastyrskyi monastyrskyi Devyatkin, 1996

Common name(s): The Monastyrsky's Ace

Photography location: Tam Dao N.P. (Vinh phuc Prov.)

Thoressa monastyrskyi monastyrskyi is known, at least, from southern China and northern Vietnam. It is replaced further south by T. monastyrskyi annamita Devyatkin & Monastyrskyii, 1999.

All the photos below are from the type locality - Tam Dao (June 2016, alt. 900m asl).

This Thoressa monastyrskyi was feeding on some Bidens flowers along the "Water tank trail".

191. Seseria sambara indosinica (The Indochinese White Flat)

Number: 191

Family: Hesperiidae
Sub-Family : Pyrgiinae

Species: Seseria sambara indosinica (Fruhstorfer,1909)

Common name(s): The Indochinese White Flat

Photography location: Xuan Son N.P. (Phu Tho Prov.)

Strictly restricted to undisturbed forests where it can be seen puddling on moist sunny spots.
Type locality: "Chiem-Hoa", central Tonkin.

Monastyrskii & Devyatkin (2016) listed 2 Seseria species in Vietnam viz. sambara & dohertyi - the former widespread (N., C.), the latter only recorded from C. (to Lam Dong Prov.).

Seseria sambara indosinica puddling on a damp stream bed

190. Badamia exclamationis (The Brown Awl)

Number:190

Family: Hesperiidae
Sub-Family: Coeliadinae

Species: Badamia exclamationis Fabricius, 1775

Common name(s): The Brown Awl, The Narrow-winged Awl

Photography location: Xuan Son N.P. (Phu Tho Prov.)

Only two species make up this genus, one restricted to a number of Pacific islands, the other very  widely distributed, from Pakistan to the Pacific islands and SE Australia.

Badamia exclamationis is readily distinguished from other awls by the elongate fore wing and shape of the hind wing which has a recurve along the margin near the tornus.

UpF dark brown with three pale yellow central spots. UpH with a dark-brown tornal patch and a pale yellow subtornal spot. Underside of both wings grey-brown. The large abdomen is characterized by black and yellow banding.

The range extends from India, China and the Philippines, through Indonesia to mainland New Guinea and adjacent islands, northern and eastern Australia, the Salomon Islands, New Caledonia and Fiji. Badamia exclamationis is known to migrate in vast flights. Locally the species can be so numerous that its food plants (Terminalia) are completely defoliated (Common and Waterhouse, 1981).

This crepuscular Hesperid flies actively early in the morning and late in the evening, whereas it usually pitches under a leaf and is loath to move during the daytime. Hopefully, one day, I will get a better shot.

189. Celaenorrhinus vietnamicus (The Vietnamese Dark Yellow-banded Flat)

Number: 189

Family: Hesperiidae
Sub-Family : Pyrgiinae

Species: Celaenorrhinus vietnamicus Devyatkin,1998

Common name(s): The Vietnamese Dark Yellow-banded Flat

Photography location: Xuan Son N.P. (Phu Tho Prov.), Ba Vi N.P. (Hanoi)

Celaenorrhinus is one of the largest genera of the Hesperiidae and the only pantropical one, with about 130 species. 24 of these are found in the Neotropical region, 50 are found in various parts of eastern Asia, and 45 are Afrotropical in distribution. In Vietnam, 18 species are recorded.

Celaenorrhinus vietnamicus is closely related to C. aurivittata aurivittata (Moore, 1879) and differs externally in darker ground colour, lighter yellow forewing band, without any trace of orange, and detached apical spot in space 6 (Devyatkin, 1998). Recorded from southern China to central Vietnam. Holotype from northern Vietnam (Ba Vi National Park).

Celaenorrhinus vietnamicus roosting upside down under leaves...

... and feeding on flower nectar (Xuan Son, May 2016)

Another individual, from Ba Vi foothills (December 2016)

188. Suastus minuta aditia (The Small Palm Bob)

Number: 188

Family: Hesperiidae

Sub-Family : Hesperiinae

Species: Suastus minuta aditia Evans, 1943

Common name(s): The Small Palm Bob

Photography location : Cat Ba N.P. (Hai Phong City)

Two species of Suastus are recorded from Vietnam - gremius and minuta.

Suastus minuta aditia, Cat Ba Island, secondary forest (July 21th, 2016)

187. Ampittia dioscorides etura (The Bush Hopper)

Number: 187

Family: Hesperiidae

Sub-Family : Hesperiinae

Species: Ampittia dioscorides etura (Mabille, 1891)

Common name(s): The Bush Hopper

Photography location: Cat Ba N.P. (Hai Phong City)

Two species of Ampittia are recorded from Vietnam - dioscorides and virgata. The subspecies A.dioscorides etura is limited to North of the country (and also southern China, Taiwan), and is replaced further south by A.dioscorides camertes.
This small skipper is often seen in abandoned paddy fields.

Ampittia dioscorides etura, Cat Ba Island, secondary forest (July 20th, 2016)