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Time of India
25-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Sunday Read: Nature's wingmen
Butterfly migration Bangalore Butterfly Club . native vegetation . Every year, during pre-monsoon months, butterflies pass through the city in large numbers. Intrestingly, years with intense butterfly activity often coincide with higher rainfall. This suggests butterflies may be responding to wind and rain patterns using nature's cues as their navigation –Haneesh M, Bangalore Butterfly Club When migration is mentioned, images of thundering herds across Africa's Masai Mara often come to mind. Yet, right here in Bengaluru, a quieter, more delicate spectacle unfolds every year — the seasonal migration of butterflies gliding across South India's Western and Eastern despite their fragile appearance, are powerful bio-indicators of a region's ecological health. Their presence reflects the diversity and condition of local flora. Bengaluru, situated along a crucial migratory corridor, witnesses thousands of butterflies each year during their seasonal journey, according to Haneesh KM, a founding member of the. The community actively documents butterfly sightings and contributes its data to the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS).'Every year, during pre-monsoon months, butterflies pass through the city in large numbers. Interestingly, years with intense butterfly activity often coincide with higher rainfall,' Haneesh observed. 'This suggests butterflies may be responding to wind and rain patterns, using nature's cues as their navigation system.'India is home to an estimated 1,200 butterfly species, of which more than 170 have been recorded in Bengaluru alone. Karnataka's Western Ghats boast over 340 species. The city's common migratory species belong to the Danainae subfamily, including the Dark Blue Tiger, Blue Tiger, Common Crow, and Double Banded Crow. While the average lifespan of a butterfly is one to two weeks, migration can extend this to three or even four recent uptick in butterfly sightings aligns with pre-monsoon showers, says Sammilan Shetty, founder of the Butterfly Park, Belvai.'Butterflies tend to move just ahead of the southwest monsoon. This could be an evolutionary strategy to escape the harsh conditions of the monsoon, particularly in the higher elevations of the Ghats.' He notes that certain species, like the Common Emigrant, follow a coastal route along the Arabian Sea and then head inland just before the rains arrive. 'It's a carefully timed survival tactic,' he butterfly migration is not a newly observed phenomenon, public awareness has grown significantly in recent years. But this awareness has also brought challenges. Shetty warns against replacingwith ornamental plants in artificial butterfly gardens. 'Such interventions can harm butterflies, whose breeding cycles depend on indigenous host plants. Preserving native flora is crucial,' he enthusiasts, like Sahana M, have been tracking butterfly behaviour for years. 'I've always been drawn to birds and fragile, yet vibrant,' she shares. This year, Sahana observed an early migration of Danaid butterflies. 'That often signals an early monsoon,' she points out, reinforcing the idea that butterfly patterns can act as a natural weather being cold-blooded, are extremely sensitive to changes in their environment. Kiran Kiggal, Associate Professor of Electronics and a keen wildlife photographer, notes that butterflies rely on sunshine and nectar. 'During heavy rains, nectar becomes scarce. So, they often shift eastward to avoid these conditions. Many begin migrating even before the monsoon sets in, sensing early showers caused by low-pressure systems,' he to Dr Abhijith APC from Team Saaliga, butterfly migration is not just about movement, but survival. 'They migrate to preserve their lineage. It's an instinctive intelligence,' he explains. Many butterflies are host-specific; the Common Lime butterfly relies on citrus plants, while the Common Crow prefers Ficus trees. The pre-monsoon season offers fresh vegetation, making it ideal for and nature lovers agree: Butterfly migration is more than a visual delight; it's a strategic and essential survival mechanism deeply tied to ecological too can play a role in this natural phenomenon. Planting native species, especially host and nectar plants, can provide critical support to migrating such green corridors not only aids their journey but also helps reduce roadkill. Citizen participation in recording butterfly movements can further contribute valuable data to scientists tracking their the heart of India's Silicon Valley, the flutter of delicate wings tells a timeless story of survival, adaptation, and harmony with nature, a reminder that sometimes, the most extraordinary migrations happen right in our backyard.
New Indian Express
20-05-2025
- Science
- New Indian Express
Migration Miracle
The sheer and utter incomprehensibility of life and its scope never ceases to confound us. Amongst the countless species in our tiny blue planet, the life cycle of a butterfly is a particularly curious case: how is one to explain that a caterpillar which has grown from a minute pupa, would grow further to the point of spurting out wings? Of late, the city has been witnessing their visual cacophony, outside balconies, or office windows, as they migrate. Hordes of various species were seen in areas like JP Nagar, Koramangala, and Indiranagar. Monsoon Migration As Shonali Chinniah, director and owner at Curiouscity Science Centre, explains, 'Butterflies, particularly Dark Blue Tiger, Blue Tiger, Common Crow, and Double Branded Crow migrate seasonally in response to the monsoon cycle. Studies highlight that these butterflies travel from the Western Ghats to the Eastern Ghats, between May and June, to avoid the torrential South-West monsoon that hit their larval habitats in the Western Ghats. Their migration ensures survival by allowing them to breed alternately in the plains and in the hills. During October through November they migrate back from the Eastern to the Western Ghats.' Lepidopterist Rohit Girotra adds that 'the migration depends on the intensity and duration of the monsoon'.
The Hindu
16-05-2025
- Climate
- The Hindu
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.
