Butterfly migration this year takes flight over Garden City earlier than expected
For the last few days, Bengalureans have been awestruck by the swarm of butterflies they have noticed in their neighbourhoods, especially around lakes.
Although the migration of butterflies from Western Ghats to Eastern Ghats is a regular phenomenon before the southwest monsoon, this year, due to temperature changes, the movement and sighting of insects have increased in the region, according to experts.
Nature observers said that while butterflies usually migrate through the outskirts of the city, after a long time, they are migrating through the city this year. 'Migration starts from the Western Ghats and ends at the Eastern Ghats as the butterflies look to escape the fury of heavy rains. After many years, this time, the butterflies are passing through Bengaluru, and that is why so many people got to see them,' explained Rohit Girotra, who conducts Bengaluru Butterfly Walks (BBW) in the city.
Experts have also observed that migration is happening earlier than usual this year due to the predicted early onset of the southwest monsoon. 'Migration is entirely dependent on the monsoon and temperature. When the heat is too much, they try to escape it. Last year, as the summer was very harsh, we did not see many swarms. This year, as the rain is setting in May, the sightings are more,' said a senior official from the Forest Department.
The Common Crow, Double-Branded Crow, Blue Tiger, and Dark Blue Tiger are some of the commonly sighted butterfly species during this season along with Plain Tiger, Tawnyu Coster and Stripped Tiger insects.
The members of Puttenahalli Neighbourhood Lake Improvement Trust (PNLIT) shared that the migrating butterflies passed through the Puttenahalli Puttakere, in JP Nagar 7th Phase, while urging people to visit the lake to witness it.
Nagesh Ramamurthy, another member of BBW, noted that the migration groups include three to four generations of butterflies. 'The lifespan of a butterfly is usually between three weeks and 45 days. Along their journey, they mate near lakes during the evenings, lay their eggs and carry on with their journey,' he said.
Some nature observers said that more sightings are being reported this year due to the increased awareness among people and social media. 'We cannot exactly determine if the number of butterflies migrating this year is more or less. This year, it is a case of more citizens observing them, aided by social media to spread the word,' said Chandu Bandi, who leads the Bangalore Butterfly Club, which conducts weekly walks and discusses the migration of butterflies.
'Fewer studies are determining the population of migrating butterflies, except for a few enthusiastic researchers trying to do a citizen science exercise using a group that captures the migration observation log. A more regular monitoring exercise requires planning, and a dedicated pool of volunteers who could help understand the trends over a long term,' he added.
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