Nature enthusiasts all around the city have come together to celebrate a unique citizen science initiative titled “Big Butterfly Month” which is being celebrated throughout September.
Various events like drawing competitions, talks, butterfly walks and species mapping programmes will be organised during the month and butterfly observation will also be registered with the help of citizens.
The initiative was launched in Pune three years back as a part of a national initiative with the same name. The response from the citizens and nature enthusiasts is huge and over the years it has been increasing, said organisers.
“Last year, nearly 1,336 observations were registered by 55 enthusiasts in a month and around 130 butterfly species were documented during the initiative,” said Rajat Joshi, district convener, Big Butterfly Month initiative.
Butterflies are renowned for their enchanting beauty, their intricate life cycles, and their ecological significance. By studying butterflies, scholars can get insights into the health of our environment, the impact of climate change, and the effectiveness of conservation efforts.
September is a month when butterflies can be sighted on a large scale. It is also a migratory period for butterflies; therefore the month is celebrated as Butterfly Month, said experts.
Pune is home to over a hundred species of butterflies and apart from natural hotspots like hills, forests, and grasslands, the butterflies are also seen in local gardens developed in residential areas.
{{/usCountry}}Pune is home to over a hundred species of butterflies and apart from natural hotspots like hills, forests, and grasslands, the butterflies are also seen in local gardens developed in residential areas.
{{/usCountry}}Common Mormon, Common Grass Yellow, Red Pierrot, and Lemon Emigrant are the common butterflies that are found in the Pune district.
Swanand Kesari, founder member of the initiative, said, “Every year there is an increase in the observations. In 2019, at least 200 observations were registered, but it has increased over the years, and last year it was over 1,300.”
“In 2000, the Ranwa organisation made a checklist in which they listed between 105-108 species. However, in the last two or three years, more than 125 species have been registered during just one month’s initiative. It is still a very low-scale observation, if the number of participants increases, the number is expected it rise significantly. Some other organisations also take records of bird species in Pune,” he said.
Another important change this initiative has brought is, due to awareness created by the drive, a butterfly garden has been developed in schools including Kendriya Vidyalaya 1 & 2 in Dehu, Vision English School in Narhe, and a government school in Pisaware village, Vidyanchal school, Aundh and New English School, Tilak Road.
“Schools in Pisaware village are also very active in the country when it comes to implementing awareness initiatives,” said Kesari.
“This year’s initiative started on September 1 and citizens can register their observations about butterflies on the INature website along with details like the place where the butterfly was sighted, the date and time, and their photographs, it is similar to a people’s biodiversity register initiative and helps in documenting the variety of butterfly species in and around Pune city,” said Joshi.