A year-long survey at Vellalore tank in Coimbatore has found that the urban waterbody is home to 101 species of butterflies.
The Nature and Butterfly Society (TNBS) and Kovai Kulangal Padhukappu Amaippu (KKPA) conducted the joint exercise from October 2021 to September 2022. According to A. Pavendhan from TNBS, the 101 species of butterflies recorded in the tank belonged to five major families. There were nine species belonging to Swallowtails family at the tank. Whites & Yellows (19 species), Brush-footed (31), the Blues (26) and the Skippers (16) were the other families that were recorded.
“Nymphalidae (Brush-footed) is easily the dominant species here, and population-wise, Pieridae (Whites & Yellows) is always present in good numbers,” he said.
R. Manikandan of KKPA, who coordinated the study, said Tamil Nadu was home to 328 species of butterflies and 31% of these were found in Vellalore tank. Southern Birdwing, Blue Mormon, Chocolate Albatross, Striped Albatross, Black Rajah, Tailed Palmfly, Bamboo Treebrown, Medus Brown, Common Leopard and Peacock Pansy were among the important species that were sighted. Species such as Joker, Common Castor, Angled Castor, Silverlines and African Marbled Skipper were present in good numbers.
“The study met its primary objective of arriving at a baseline list of butterfly species present in the wetland, including the Miyawaki forest. Data on monthly occurrence of species and their population were collected by the study team,” said Mr. Pavendhan.
The study was conducted during the peak butterfly activity time, from 8 a.m. to 11.30 a.m., on the third Saturday of every month.“The study successfully demonstrates the importance of wetlands to the butterfly ecosystem and the need to protect their natural environment. It also demonstrates that good biodiversity exists around the wetland in terms of vegetation, including the Miyawaki arrangement, as 101 species is a good species count for a wetland,” Mr. Pavendhan said.
According to Mr. Manikandan, Vellalore tank was home to over 500 types of plants and 272 varieties of trees. The waterbody has Miyawaki patches, herbal plants, flowering plants, butterfly host plants and clumps of bamboo around it. The works of converting the tank into a biodiversity hotspot began in 2017, he said.
The KKPA and the TNBS have planned to take up various measures required to strengthen the butterfly presence around the wetland with public, governmental, and non-governmental participation. The Vellalore tank, located around 15 km from Coimbatore city, is also home to a large variety of birds.
T. Nagaraj, K. Sadheeskumar, K. Sravankumar, H. Ramanasaran, C.V. Nishanth, H. Theivaprakasham and S. Makesh Kumar from TNBS and Kamalakkannan from KKPA were part of the survey.
