Butterflies are among Nature's most beautiful creations. Is there a prettier sight than a lovely little butterfly fluttering from flower to flower?
Butterflies have always fascinated the human mind. They have inspired artists and writers. Little wonder really, for we do not have too many creatures on earth that could match the sheer beauty and variety of butterflies.
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You would have learnt a few things about butterflies in school — that they have a short life span (most species live only for a few weeks or months) and that there are four stages in their life: cycle, egg, larva, pupa and adult.
If you want to know more about the fascinating world of butterflies, the book Varoo, Namukku Poompattakale Nireekshikkam would come extremely handy.
This delightfully designed book, written by Abdulla Paleri and published by Mathrubhumi Books (Kozhikode), would not only give you more insight about these fascinating creatures, but will also encourage some of you to observe them more closely and begin to study about them seriously. As the author says, butterfly watching can be fun too, like bird watching.
Before you begin watching or studying butterflies seriously, you can learn to distinguish different types of butterflies. The book will tell you how to do it exactly — by looking at their colours, shapes and other features.
You will also learn the ideal times of the day to look out for butterflies. Several beautiful pictures of butterflies (most of them photographed by Shashi Gayathri) are among the highlights of the book.
Start watching
The book is rich in information. You will find here the names — Malayalam, English or scientific — of different types of butterflies and you would also be briefly introduced to two famous naturalists, Henry Walter Bates and Fritz Muller.
The main objective of the book is to get you interested in the hobby of butterfly watching. For that purpose, the author has devoted a few pages in the book in which you can jot down all the details about the butterflies you spot; the book also gives you instructions on how to go about it too.
