149 butterfly species spotted across Pune
Two butterfly species, which are mostly found, Common Jay and Common Map were found in various city gardens. The other species include common emigrant, red pierrot, common crow and common cerulean
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) recently disclosed that, 149 species of butterflies were spotted in various gardens of the city. Two butterfly species, which are mostly found in jungles, Common Jay and Common Map are now dotting the flowers in various city gardens, said officials.
The other species found include: common emigrant, red pierrot, common crow, common cerulean and others.
According to Jaayant Deshpandey, environmentalist and avid nature enthusiast, “Common Map, a forest dweller last year was commonly seen in the city. There are photographic records of the same on Law college road, Shanipar and Kothrud. This occurrence last year could be due to a sudden spurt in their numbers in the Pune district. Last year this butterfly was commonly seen in Sinhagad valley also.”
He said, “Because of deforestation or planting indigenous plant species, the city has seen an increase in butterfly activity.”
“Butterflies are very good indicator species as they are dependent on the vegetation. Each butterfly species is dependent on specific larval host plants. A butterfly caterpillar will rather starve and die, but not eat other plant species. An adult butterfly is a very good botanist. She will lay eggs on its larval host plants or in some cases nearby the larval host plant. A good diversity of butterflies indicates a very good diversity in the surrounding vegetation. Butterflies need larval host plants to breed. Adult butterflies need flowering plants which provide them with nectar. In butterfly parlance these plants are called nectaring plants,” Deshpandey said.
In 2018, the environment cell had begun a special blog as an idea to involve people to help in creating awareness and also help the PMC in preparing the biodiversity list. This was done under the Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board.
According to Mangesh Dighe, environment officer, PMC, “The Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board states that the urban local bodies need to prepare a People’s Biodiversity Register (PBR) in consultation with the local people. The PBR is a documented repository of a community’s knowledge of its local bio and cultural resources. It is to be undertaken in a participatory mode involving various sections of society.”
The information provided by people is collated, analysed and cross-checked by the experts before it is documented. “The baseline data helps us in understanding the state of biodiversity as of today and is a very useful tool in the management of Pune city’s biodiversity in future. This inventory is also useful for environmental studies at schools, colleges and universities,” added Dighe.
This helped the environment cell bring out an evaluated list in 2020 of flora and fauna and a special list of butterflies found in the city and also thus prepare the city’s first-ever biodiversity register.
“This register is a continuing process and is evolving with people periodically adding, updating with new information, which is how it is helping us to track and find new resources for attracting butterflies and other birds and animals. This also led us to create a butterfly garden which was an initiative of the environment and garden department,” said Ashwini Shitole Yadav, education officer, PMC.