Have you ever seen a Blue Tiger? And no, we’re not talking about those unproven reports of that mystery cat that Methodist missionary Harry Caldwell claimed to have sighted in China in the early 1900s. What if you were told that you could find Blue Tigers by the dozen right here in Kerala? Not a mythical ‘strikingly beautiful’ cat maybe, but it still is a captivating sight to see a bunch of these creatures clustering around a single plant, like Crotalaria for example, deriving their nourishment.
So if not the Blue Tiger, what about the Chocolate Albatross or the Paris Peacock? If these names sound colourful, then just imagine the spectroscopic splendour when you actually see them.
The Blue Tiger, Chocolate Albatross, Paris Peacock are all among the 300 plus species of butterflies found in Kerala.
In order to familiarise the public with the winged wonders of the state, a book on Kerala’s butterflies published this year by the Kerala State Biodiversity Board, was released earlier this month.
The book, prepared by wildlife photographer Suresh Elamon, explains in simple language basic facts about butterflies – from how they got their name, how butterflies differ from moths, their body structures, life cycles etc. It also lists many butterflies from the five families found in Kerala, along with their picture and general habits.
Of course, now, with the heavy incessant rains that’s lashing the state, you will be hard-pressed to find these colourful creatures. They will be seeking shelter from, what is to them, the giant drops of water which will hamper their flight and survival. Butterflies, whose lifespans don’t usually last longer than a year, require specific environmental conditions for survival.
They are exceptionally vulnerable to factors like climate change and habitat loss. Therefore the occurrence of butterflies, their abundance and characteristics all give insights into the ecology of a region.
Kerala, in the lap of the bio-diversity rich Western Ghats, has over 300 species of butterflies in five families - Papilionidae (Swallow tails), Pieridae (White and yellows), Nymphalidae (Brush-footed butterflies), Lycaenidae (Blues) and Hesperiidae (Skippers). Over 30 species are endemic to the state. Not only that, Kerala also is home to both the largest and smallest butterflies in India – the Southern Birdwing (wingspan can reach 20 cm) and Southern Grass Jewel (2.2 cm wingspan) respectively.
A trip to the forest areas like Arippa, Kallar-Ponmudi or Silent Valley will also reveal many treats like the endemic Travancore Evening Brown and Malabar Tree Nymph, a beautiful creature they call ‘vanadevatha’ (forest deity).
But the gardens of Kerala’s houses are rich too – keep your eyes peeled and you might see the little, bright Grass Yellow, the flash of red from the Malabar Rose or the intricate patterns of the Common Fourring.
