With a wingspan of 120-140 mm, the Scarlet Mormon (Papilio rumanzovia) is a large, striking butterfly that commands attention wherever it appears. This species is known for its strong, deliberate flight as it moves through forests and gardens across the Philippines. A Tale of Two Sexes The Scarlet Mormon displays…
With its pale bluish-gray to translucent wings highlighted by dark veins and margins, the Gray Glassy Tiger (Ideopsis juventa) is a medium-sized butterfly that lives up to its name. Its delicate, glassy appearance makes it one of the more distinctive butterflies found in the forests of Mount Makiling. A Slow…
This month, the Makiling Botanic Gardens features a plant that might assault your nose before catching your eye: kantutan (Paederia foetida L.), a vine from the Rubiaceae family with a pungent reputation and a long history of traditional uses across Asia. A Name That Tells a Story The scientific name…
This month, the Makiling Botanic Gardens features a striking ornamental shrub that catches the eye with its color-changing flowers and glossy foliage: kopsia (Kopsia fruticosa (Roxb.) A.DC.), a member of the Apocynaceae family that has found a home in gardens across the tropics. Origins and Name Kopsia is native to…
With its striking pattern of glossy black scales adorned with bold yellow crossbands, the Luzon Mangrove Snake (Boiga dendrophila divergens) is one of the Philippines’ most visually stunning reptiles. This large, robust snake moves comfortably both on the ground and in the trees of the forests and mangroves it inhabits.…
This month, the Makiling Botanic Gardens features a plant that embodies the remarkable diversity of Philippine flora: pingol-bato (Begonia nigritarum (Kamel) Steud.), a stunning endemic begonia that has served both culinary and medicinal purposes for generations. Where It Grows Pingol-bato is a creeping plant that grows in moist or damp…