I t looks stupendous — thousands of butterflies snaking through the forest in a colourful flutter, says Vinod Sriramulu of the Tamil Nadu Butterfly Society (TNBS). “I noticed it for the first time at a place called Geddai in the Western Ghats as they migrated swiftly in a line running to a few km. It was a treat for the eyes. Butterflies are rarely studied and the migration is very rarely documented,” he says.
To draw the attention to butterfly conservation, members of TNBS have compiled a list of butterfly hotspots. “Consolidating hotspots in Coimbatore is our step towards introducing butterflies to the general public. This should pave the way for setting up butterfly parks, like the ones in Srirangam, and Vandalur Zoo, Chennai, where the public can also learn to identify butterflies,” says A. Pavendhan founder of TNBS. Any location that plays host to about 75 to 100 species of butterflies and in large numbers has been named as a hotspot. Kovai kutralam/Siruvani, Kallar, Walayar, Topslip, Anaikatti, Ponnuthu and Marudhamalai/Vadavalli has made it to the list.
“Coimbatore’s rich biodiversity supports a good ecosystem for butterfly diversity. Now, the public know where to go specifically while looking for butterflies,” says H. Theivaprakasham, a member of TNBS, who is an engineering student. “Wetlands like Vedapatti, Achankulam, Singanallur Lake, Sulur Lake, Kannampalayam Lake and Perur Lake also support butterfly diversity. Species like Crimson Rose, Crimson Tip, Yellow Orange Tips, and White Orange Tips can be seen in plenty near waterbodies due to presence of favourable host plants. We have seen lakhs and lakhs of butterflies, especially the common emigrants and albatross in Kallar, Siruvani and Topslip. Sometimes you spot some rare butterflies amid such big congregations. We spotted the rare Plain Puffin, which looks similar to emigrants. We also recorded Abnormal Silverline for the first time in Kovai Kutralam.”
Vinod photographed and documented the Silver Streak Acacia Blue in Kallar. “After the 1950s, this is the first time this butterfly has been recorded in Tamil Nadu. I also documented Madras Ace, Yellow-breasted Flat and Niligiri Tit in Kallar,” he says.
Vinod mentions that one can observe butterflies in one’s own backyard. “You don’t need to trek to an exotic location. Every species has a specific host plant and the presence of butterflies is an indication of plant diversity. What is a conducive environment for the butterflies to survive? Some butterflies thrive on plants that spring to life after the monsoons while some are dependant on plants like Acacia that survive in dry conditions. What is the significance of mud puddling where male butterflies absorb minerals, salt and water content from wet soil? Why do they excrete excess minerals from the body in a process called squirting? All these require an in-depth study. Many are into birding in a big way, but there aren’t enough takers for butterflies. We want to build the excitement by documenting them,” explains Vinod.
Looking for a butterfly hotspot is not an easy task, says C. V. Nishanth of TNBS. “We have to brave the rains, blazing heat and leech bites and other hazards. In some place like Siruvani, we have spotted 92 species in about an hour. We also spotted some rare butterflies like Chocolate Albatross, Common Onyx (a rapid flyer often found in high altitudes), and Many-tailed Oak Blue. We saw Malabar Rose in Siruvani. This is rarely seen in Tamil Nadu. We are working towards building awareness on conserving nature by identifying butterfly hotspots.”
TNBS has an active Facebook group with over 900 members who regularly update info on rare butterflies in the State. Says Pavendhan, “Butterflies are good indicators of biodiversity. The more we see in good numbers, the better is the ecosystem. From the total list of 323 butterfly species that are found in Tamil Nadu, we have validated over 280 species. We just have to search for the remaining species.”
Important sightings
Kallar
Nigger, Extra Lascar, Silver-streaked Acacia Blue,
Common Yellow-breasted Flat, Silver Royal, Tree Flitter
Kovai kutralam/Siruvani
Malabar Rose, Malabar Tree Nymph, Bamboo Treebrown, Tamil Catseye, Common Onyx, Abnormal Silverline,
Silver-streaked Acacia Blue, Common Yellow-breasted Flat, Silver Royal, Tree Flitter
Ponnuthu
Striped Albatross, Common Map, Peacock Royal, Common Snow Flat, Malabar Spotted Flat, Guava Blue
Topslip
Commander, Metallic Cerulean, Tamil Lacewing, White-bar Bushbrown, Glassy Tiger, Lesser Gull, Great Evening Brown
