Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Bangalore butterfly diary


Its been over a year when my mania for butterflies started and is still running deep. I have been running in and around Bangalore quenching the heady thirst to see them and know them by joining the local group in Bangalore.

Its sort of hard to put butterflies under the insect family and yet they truly are. Butterflies and moths belong to the family - Lepidoptera. Butterflies have more recently evolved from moths possibly to escape predators such as Bats.

To a layman, butterflies seem merely to have multiple colours. I assure you, if you take a closer look, you will be spell bound not only by the intricate patterns and colours , but by observing their behaviour, food choices , life cycle, courtship you will know, how immensely interesting butterflies are. And since butterflies and moths are more naturally present than any other wildlife, you will never be disappointed by what a meager garden can provide.

There are a variety of sites that you can visit to understand the butterfly natural history , ecology , distribution etc., like - http://ifoundbutterflies.org/  and http://www.flutters.org/ and for books you can go for Isaac Kehimkar's book on Butterflies of India for beginners and Krushnamegh Kunte's Butterflies of Peninsular India to read more about Butterfly ecology. You can also join the online group -
ButterflyIndia@yahoogroups.com and Indianmoths@yahoogroups.co.in ,
facebook pages - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ButterflyIndia/

Large oakblue
Hand Maiden Moth

Sunbeam

Common Snow Flat

Black Rajah
Apefly pupa


Common Silverline

Pioneer