At the onset of the butterfl y season, Dr Raju Kasambe, in-charge, BNHS CEC, introduces Avril-Ann Braganza to the fascinating world of these winged beauties.
Once the rains are done painting the environs a lush green, the abundance of larval host plants make the post-monsoon period from September to November an ideal time to spot butterflies.
You’ll probably spot many of these flitting around your flower plants at home.
At the onset of the butterfl y season, Dr Raju Kasambe, in-charge, BNHS CEC, introduces Avril-Ann Braganza to the fascinating world of these winged beauties.
BLUE TIGER
Photo Courtesy: Emmanual Yogini
Colour: Blue with black stripes
Attracted to: Lantahna, Indian turnsole, Stachytarpaeta
BLUE OAK LEAF
Photo Courtesy: Emmanual Yogini
Colour: Blue outer wings and inner wings resembling dried leaves
Attracted to: Rotten fruits and muddy places
COMMON ROSE
Photo Courtesy: Emmanual Yogini
Colour: Red body and black wings with red spots on it
Attracted to: Aristolochia
STRIPED TIGER
Photo Courtesy: Emmanual Yogini
Colour: Tawny with black stripes
Attracted to: Lantana, ixora
COMMON JEZEBEL
Photo Courtesy: Emmanual Yogini
Colour: White, yellow and orange
Attracted to: Lantana
BLUE MORMON
Colour: Back and blue
Attracted to: Curry leaf tree and mud
DID YOU KNOW?
- Maharashtra is the only one to have a ‘state butterfly’—the Blue Mormon
- Butterflies are cold blooded and so, they love basking in the sun.
- To make up for their lack of ears, the big compound eyes of butterflies enable them to catch colours and movements quickly.
- In the adult stage, butterflies have no mouth or teeth and hence they feed on nectar from flowers.
- Some butterflies also feed on excreta, rotten fruits and dead animals. Among those that feed on rotten fruits—pineapple, banana, custard apple and chickoo—are the blue oakleaf, bush browns, common baron, common evening brown, gaudy baron, and Rajahs and Nawabs.
- These beauties like to stay away from plants with insecticides, pesticides and other chemicals and their presence indicates the state of the environment. For instance, a greater diversity of butterflies signifies greater plant diversity.
- Males of the Blue Tiger, Plain Tiger, Striped Tiger and the Common Indian Crow feed on nectar as well as a certain chemical—derived from plants like Crotalaria—needed to synthesize sex pheromones to attract females.
- Butterflies don't share our obsession with roses, but instead have a liking for passion flower, Jamaican spike, tridex, cockscomb, lemon and orange.
- Minerals have their health benefits for these flighty little things too. Male butterflies collect them from mud and present mineral capsules to the females as it increases the quality and number of eggs she lays.
- Eaten by birds and spiders, butterflies are an important part of the food chain and also responsible for pollination.
- When females spot a male of their own species, they flash their wings to signal their mates; the males flash back to confirm that they’re of the same species and then come nearer to mate.
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