These two Hose’s Langurs Presbytis hosei (mother and infant) were feeding on immature Aristolochia vine leaves on Bukit Patoi Brunei in October 2018. Aristolochia leaves are normally considered toxic or poisonous to humans but perhaps the young leaves have yet to develop their poisons. Photos by Arlene Walshe.
Female Rajah Brooke’s Birdwing Trogonoptera brookiana butterfly resting on a dipterocarp leaf at the Belalong Canopy Walkway. These large butterflies lay their eggs on Aristolochia leaves, the caterpillars feed on the leaves, and as a result the adult butterflies are poisonous to birds. Male Rajah Brookes are fairly common in the forests of Temburong and may be seen puddling on damp earth especially where an animal has previously urinated. However females are rarely seen as they fly at canopy level.This illustration is of Aristolochia rumphii which is only recorded from the Lesser Sunda Islands east of Borneo but is obviously closely related to the Aristolochia species shown in the photographs with leaves being eaten by the langurs.Enter a caption
