Butterflies are a sheer fascination and something we always want to spot and be delighted with. God is definitely an artist as he mixes shades and uses such bright colors on their wings. So much vibrance and happiness we feel when we spot one.
The beautiful colors, shades, and its lifecycle itself are an inspiration for life. Moths but with beauty. These winged insects help our gardens bloom and bring a smile to our faces. Their Life cycle from being an egg to cute little caterpillars, becoming a pupa, and becoming an Adult butterfly, we’ve read about in books and often seen in Nature channels and videos.
You will be surprised to know that there are about 20,000 to 28,000 species in the world, and imagine how wonderful it would be if you could trace the ones you know in colors and forms, and many more that we might not have even seen.
Many have shown keen interest in knowing about them in detail by learning about their scientific names and getting to know how their breeds, breeding, etc. While some have even created their own butterfly gardens.
Lights reflect on its magnificent, shiny blue wings. Shade of blues makes it the most colorful and beautiful butterfly in the world.
Spot Butterflies that too in 100's but where in India ? Lets Check it out.
Undisturbed environments, plants that are food to them, and resources are what they need to gather in large numbers and become a swarm. Thriving in 100s, it’s a damn kaleidoscope of a large number of butterflies. You will definitely find them in lush green forests and biodiversity hotspots. Many butterflies are found in environments that have too much monsoon or winter.
You will see them in green spaces with flower blooms, of course. Migrations do take place in swarms. They also feast on host plants, hence you will find them near particular plant breeds too. Moisture is something they love, a soil that’s mineral-rich, plants that are food to them, and forests that are dense and quiet are a perfect place for you to trace them. Hence, National Parks and deep inside the forests are the best places you can sight them.
In Kerala, you will have to head to the Western Ghats. A Popular butterfly sanctuary known as Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary is a 55km forest and a home to more than 250 kinds of butterflies. You can visit this butterfly world from November to April and experience the butterfly joy.
Hop on to a safari there and go crazy with your eyes as you see some mesmerizing butterfly effects. Fly up to Northeast India as the butterflies are no less. Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh is the place to be. This park is in the Changlang district, which hosts a large biodiversity and a green patch.
You will see about 400-500 different species. So come from March until November. You can also be part of the Namdapha Butterfly festival, which happens in Kachang village. The Eastern Himalayas range in Sikkim, too, is another place one can visit to spot them. Untouched and undisturbed spots make around 700 species thrive in this region. In Dzongu, you will find many in numbers. Find many in the Teesta valley.
Dzongu- The land of Butterflies
Metro cities Butterfly Garden
Mumbaikars, for you, there’s one in Thane known as the Ovalakar Wadi Butterfly Garden. (Owala village) It’s an open-air setting. It hosts about 132 species in a 2-acre setting.
It’s a manmade habitat by Mr.Rajendra Ovalekar. He has been conserving 500 + butterflies, and his garden has about 80+ plant species. Well, you can only go here on a weekend, that too only on a Sunday from 8 am to 12.30 pm.
Take a stroll in Ponda in Goa, a butterfly conservation sanctuary. It has about 130 species in 4000 sq meters of land. Enjoy the beauty and nature along with the moths. You will get a close look and witness 100 species. So many places in India to see butterflies.
Another popular spot for enthusiasts and researchers is in Karnataka, in Mangalore. It’s called the Sammilan Shetty’s Butterfly park. Also, in Chandigarh, you will see diverse species in its butterfly park. All these gardens have guides who will take you through a tour of the park.
What's a Butterfly garden ? Can we create one in our gardens.
A natural space that is pesticide-free, has good sunlight, and a space that supports the entire butterfly’s lifecycle. A place with good sunlight, Nectar-rich flowers, and good shelter from wind. A good water source for minerals and plants for breeding to increase the population of butterflies is a perfect butterfly garden.
Many shrubs, trees, and tall plants can protect from the wind and predators, hence you may need these too. You have to place nectar-friendly plants, flowers, and trees. They need five to six hours of sunlight. These butterflies are cold-blooded and need warmth to fly. Keep the area in the open air so the moths can fly.
Butterflies need to fly freely. From Cosmos to Salvia, Lavenders, Coneflowers, and Lantanas all will attract them. Create a zone for them where they can fetch some water, a moist area, and create a small sandy area. Fill it with wet mud, water, and rocks. Place plant flowers in clusters of three or more to make it easy to track them.
