My Butterfly Garden - Butterflies of India

Butterflies and Their Larval Host Plants

2011-09-25T21:32:00.001+05:30

The subject matter of most of the mails which I receive on this blog is very similar, so I thought If I address some of the most frequently answered questions on the blog, it will save me a lot of effort replying to individual mails. So let us first address some of these questions.

Can you suggest some Nectar plants for my butterfly garden?

Can you name the larval host plants for butterflies found commonly in Kerala?

Could you please tell us the local (Malayalam) names of butterfly food plants?

I found an easy way to answer these questions and forwarded some of the mails to Mr Manoj who is the resident Naturalist in Marari Beach Resort situated at Mararikulam in Alappuzha. Marari Beach Resort has an excellent, well maintained butterfly garden attracting many species of butterflies. Manoj came up with the following list so as to be able to help many who wish to construct a butterfly garden in their own homes and start attracting butterflies.

A Quick Tip

Always arrange your garden in such a way that it has both shady and open areas. Butterflies need shade as much as they need sunlight. Remember butterflies are cold blooded and could not control their body temperature internally. They depend on sunlight for warmth, and when it gets too hot they take shelter in shade to cool off.

Butterfly Nectar Plants

Lantana spp. : Different colour varieties of lantana flowers is necessary. White lantana attracts more swallowtails sp.

Ixora spp. : Different varieties including both traditional and hybrid varieties.

Mussanda frontosa ( Vellila ) is a nectar plant for many butterflies and larval host plant of Commander butterfly.

Jamaiccan Blue spike: Attracts swallow tails and white and yellow butterflies.

Cordia cylendrostycahia : attracts milkweed butterflies massively.

Soapnut Tree: attracts milkweed butterflies and whites and yellows massively.

Crotelaria retusa: attracts milkweed butterflies.

Pagoda Plant: attracts skippers, whites, yellows and swallowtails.

Clearodendron infortunatum (White variety of pagoda plant ): attracts skippers, whites, yellows and swallowtails.

Cufia: a garden plant attracting many small butterflies.

Butterflies and their Larval Food Plants

Southern Birdwing – Troides minos :- Aristolochia indica (Eswaramooli , Karalakom or Garudakkodi )

Common Rose – Pachilopta aristolochiea :- Aristolochia indica

Crimson Rose- Pachilopta hector   :- Aristolochia indica

Common Mormon – Papilio polytes :- All Citrus specieses ( Narakangal ) Curryleaf plant ( Murraya koenigi )

Blue Mormon – Papilio polymnestor :- All Citrus specieses , Curryleaf plant

Lime Butterfly – Papilio demoleus   :- All Citrus specieses ,Curryleaf plant

Common Mime – Chilsa clytia :- Cinnamon – Cinnamon zeylanicum (Karuvappatta ) Cinnamon malabathricum ( Vayana )

Common Blue Bottle – Graphium serpadon :- Cinnamon – Cinnamon zeylanicum, Cinnamon malabathricum, Poliyalthia longifoliea ( Arana maram )

Tailed Jay – Graphium agamemnon   :- Poliyalthia longifoliea , Anona glabera

Psyche – Leptosla nina :- Cleo burmani ( Neelakkattukaduk )

Common Gull – Cepora nerissa   :- Crataeva religiosa ( Neermathalam )

Pioneer – Anaphaeis aurota    :- Crataeva religiosa

Common Wanderor – Pareronia valeria    :- Crataeva religiosa

Common Emigrant – Catopsilia pomana :- Cassia fistula ( Kanikkonna )

Mottled Emigrant – Catopsilia pyranthe :- Cassia fistula

Grass Yellow – Eurema hecabe    :- Cassia fistula

Monkey Puzzle – Rathinda amor :- Ixora sepecies { Tradional and garden varieties of ixora . ( Thechi )

Lime Blue - Chilades laius    :-All Citrus specieses , Curryleaf plant

Plain Tiger – Danaus chrysippus :- Calotripis gigantea ( Earukku ) Indian Blood Flower

Striped Tiger – Danaus genutia :- Calotripis gigantea, Indian Blood Flower (Asclepias curasavica )

Common Crow –Euploea core :- Calotripis gigantea, Indian Blood Flower, Oleander ( Nerium oleander ) Arali

Blue Tiger – Tirumala limniace :- Vattakkaka volubilis ( Kakkavally)

Glassy Tiger – Parantica aglea :- Vattakkaka volubilis

Common evening Brown- Melanitis leda :- Hetropogon contortus - is a grass species and other grasses

Common Bush Brown – Mycalesis perseus :- Hetropogon contortus - and other grasses

Nigger – Orsotrioena medus :- Hetropogon contortus and other grasses

Common Four ring – Ypthima huebeneri :- Hetropogon contortus - is a grass species and other grasses

Common Five ring – Ypthima baldus :- Hetropogon contortus - is a grass species and other grasses

Common Castor – Ariadne merione :- Common Castor – Ariadne merione ( Avanakku )

Angled Castor - Ariadne ariadne :- Castor oil plant

Leopard – Phalantha phalantha :- Flacourtia montana ,F.ramontichi ( Luvi )

Commnon Rustic :- Flacourtia montana ,F.ramontichi

Peacock Pansy – Tunonia almana :- Hygrophila ouriculata and other plants from Accanthesi family

Grey Pancy – Tunonia atlites :- Hygrophila ouriculata and other plants from Accanthesi family

Lemon Pansy – Tunonia lemonia   :- Hygrophila ouriculata and other plants from Accanthesi family

Chocolate Pansy – Precis iphita :- Hygrophila ouriculata and other plants from Accanthesi family

Danaid Eggfly – Hypolimnas misippus :- Portulaca oleracea ( a small wild plant no common Malayalam names)

Great Eggfly – Hyolimna bolina :-     Portulaca oleracea

Chestnut streaked Sailor- Neptis tumbha :-   Pongamia pinnata ( Pongu or Ungu), Thespesia populnea
( Poovarasu )

Common sailor – Neptis hylas - Helicteres isora :-     Indian screw tree – Valampiri

Commander –Moduza procris : - Mussanda frontosa ( Vellila ) And Garden variety of Mussanda

Common Baron – Euthalia aconthea :- Mangifera indiaca ( Mango tree )

Grass Demon – Udaspes folus :- Turmeric, Ginger

Brown Awl – Badamia exclamationis :- Terminelia belirica ( Thanni )

Common Banded Awl – Hasora choromus   :- Pongamia pinnata

Common Red eye – Matapa aria :- Bamboos

Dark PlamDart :- Bamboos

Will try to upload corresponding pictures for the plants so as to facilitate easy identification.

Plain Tiger - Danaus Chrysippus

2011-09-05T14:53:00.004+05:30

Plain Tiger - Danaus Chrysippus

Scientific name - Danaus chrysippus Linnaeus
Old name - Danais chrysippus Linnaeus

Plain Tiger or African Monarch is a butterfly with a wingspan of 70- 80 mm. this is a tawny, medium sized butterfly. The body is black, spotted with white. The apical half of the fore wing is black and marked with a pure white band. The hind wing has three small, black spots approximately at the centre. The male has an additional larger and slightly bulging white centered spot. This spot is a cluster of scent scales that attract females. The hind wing has a thin, black border that encloses a series of semicircular white spots. The butterfly is somewhat oily and smooth to touch. The male is smaller than the female.

Larval Host Plants

The caterpillars feed on "milkweed" plants. These in our region, include a large bush - Calotropis gigantea, a herb growing in the vicinity of water - Asclepias curassavica and a straggling bush - Cryptolepis buchnani (Asclepiadaceae). The first two are commonly used.

Common Jay

2006-07-31T07:41:00.000+05:30

Scientific Name :- Graphium doson C & R Felder

Common Jay is a butterfly with a wingspan of 70 - 80 mm. This is a black butterfly with a pale blue, semi - transparent central band that is formed by large spots. There is a marginal series of smaller spots. The underside of the wings is brown, with markings similar to the upperside, but they are whitish. The sexes look alike.

The Common Bluebottle is brighter blue and lacks the series of marginal spots present in the Common Jay.

Status, Distribution and Habitat

The Common Jay is common in the thick, riparian, moist deciduous, semi-evergreen and evergreen forests. It inhabits primary as well as secondary forests, sometimes venturing into forest plantations and orchards situated in the midst of forests. It particularly frequents forest streams and rivers. It is active throughout the year, but more so in the summer. It is distributed at lower elevations in the Sri Lankan and southern Indian forests, including suitable localities in the Eastern Ghats and Satpuras. It extends to bengal and Assam in the east, the himalayan foothills to the north and then throughout southeast Asia.

Habits

This butterfly is active throughout the day, and constantly on the move, so it is difficult to see it settled down. It has a swift and straight flight and avoids no vegetation layer. Its thorax is strong, so it rapidly beats its wings, not fully lowering them in each beat. It can easily travel between the ground and the canopy of the 40 m tall evergreen forests. The resources of the adults are distributed throughout this vertical range. They range from the mud-puddling sites of the males at the forest streams to large shrubs such as Leea, to medium-sized treees such as cinnamomum and large canopy trees. While feeding from flowers, it keeps its wings vibrating, never fully settling on the flowers.

The males gather at mud-puddling sites and usually form their own species assemblages or join other swallowtail butterflies. The group is a very tight one, so the members push against each other in an effort to shift to spots in the surrounding of their original positions. Before retiring in the evening, the butterfly spends a prolonged period investigating and hovering to choose a particular branch to sleep. At rest the wings are closed over the back, but the hind wings do not cover the fore wings.

Reproduction

The egg-laying behaviour is very similar to that of the Tailed Jay. The habits and host plants of the caterpillar and place of pupation are also similar.

The egg is spherical and pale yellow. The young larva lacks the yellowish markings present on the back of the Tailed Jay. and the white line above the prolegs is broader. The grown caterpillar has two forms, It is either dark brown or grassy green, with spines on the 4th segment short, conical and blue centred. They are surrounded by broad lemon-yellow rings which, in turn are surrounded by thin black rings. The osmererium is pale bluish-green and extruded only reluctantly.

The pupa is pale green with a dark purplish median line from the head to the thoracic horn and a yellow line from the tip of the horn to the cremaster.

Larval Host Plants.

The caterpillars feed on Annona lawii, Cinnamomum macrocarpum, Magnolia grandiflora, Michelia champaca, Miliusa tomentosum and Polyalthia longifolia ( Annonaceae, Lauraceae, Magnoliaceae).

Common Bluebottle

2006-07-29T09:33:00.000+05:30

Scientific Name :- Graphium sarpedon Linneaus

Common Bluebottle is a butterfly with a wingspan of 80 - 90 mm. The upperside is black with a greenish-blue central band. The wings are pointed. The hind wings have a row of submarginal crescent shaped blue spots. The underside of the wings is brown, the blue band paler, with some red spots. The female is paler with slightly broader wings. The Common Jay is pale blue, with blue spots surrounding the central blue band.

Status, Distribution and Habitat

It occurs in the evergreen and semi-evergreen forests and is very common on the forest paths, streamsides and edges. It is found mainly at low elevations but may be seen up to 2,300 m in the Himalayas. It occurs in southern India in the Western Ghats and in the himalayas from Kashmir eastwards. Its global distribution extends over the oriental and Australian regions.

Habits

The Common Bluebottle is a nervous butterfly, settling seldom and only momentarily. It flies fast with rapid wingbeats. Although it occurs in all the vegetation layers, it spends most of its time in the canopy of the tall forest trees. It feeds on nectar, similar to the tailed jay, it visits flowers hurriedly and its wings quiver, in order to balance and move the body, while feeding. The males congregate in large numbers for mud-puddling. they also come readily to natural baits such as rotting insects.

Reproduction

The egg is yellowish, laid singly on the leaves of the host plants. The young larva is black or dark green with many spines. the grown up larva is green with a pair of short spines on each thoracic segment and the last segment. There is a yellow transverse band on the 4th segment, and a lateral band on the body. the caterpillar usually lies in the middle of the leaf on the upper surface and is very sluggish. The pupa is green with a slender and pointed thoracic projection, yellowish wint-cases and lateral bands.

Larval Host Plants

The caterpillars feed on plants of family Lauraceae and Annonaceae. The plants include Alseodaphne semecarpiflolia, Cinnamimum camphora, Cinnamomum macrocarpum, Cinnamomum malabatrum, litsea chinensis, Miliusa tomentosa, Polyalthia longifolia and Persea macrantha.

Crimson Rose

2006-07-28T08:51:00.000+05:30

Scientific Name :- Pachliopta hector Linnaeus

Crimson Rose is a butterfly with a wingspan of 90 - 110 mm. The crimson Rose is a large, glossy, black butterfly with two broad white bands on the fore wings. The tailed hind wings hae bright crimson spots. The uppersides and undersides of the wings are similar in markings. The body is a gaudy crimson in colour. the femaleis somewhat dull.

The Common Rose has elongated white spots ont he hind wing, but lacks the white bands on the fore wing. The form romulus of the Common Mormon female, a mimic of the Crimson Rose, has a black body, is smaller in size and duller in colour.

Status, Distribution and Habitat

Crimson Rose butterfly is very common south of the Godavari river and mainly at lower elevations. Its range extends along the coast of Orissa, South Bihar and West Bengal into Sikkim and parts of northeast India. It is abundant from late monsoon to late winter, but may be found in smaller numbers throughout the year. It occurs mainly in the dry deciduous forests and thick scrub, but may also be found in disturbed semi-evergreen and evergreen forests. This is a species restricted to mainland India and Sri Lanka, although it has also been recorded from eastern Myanmmar and Andaman Islands.

Habits

Like the Common Rose, the Crimson Rose has a a slow, fluttering but steady flight, However, it flies slightly faster, stronger and at a greater height from the ground.

It is a regular visitor of flowers, and nectar probably plays a decisive role in its egg-production. The higher intake of nectar may be augmenting egg production. the flowers of Lantana, a shrub which has now infested vast patches in disturbed dry and moist deciduous forests of southern India, is its favourite nectar plant. the butterfly is very common wherever large patches of flowering Lantana Occur.

It basks with its wings spread flat. Sometimes small congregations of basking individuals may be formed, often at 10 - 15 m up in the trees. While resting, the fore wings are half-drawn between the hind wings. the butterfly sleeps on slanting, outstreached branches of shrubs, small trees, etc.

It has strong migratory habits. Massive congregations of up to several thousand individuals may be found at the end of the peak season for the species. These then migrate to other areas.

Reproduction

It is similar to the Common Rose. The caterpillar is purplish-black or blackish-brown with a black head and orange osmeterium. The body is fat, with orange-red tubercles, and a transverse yellowish-white band on segments 6 to 8 is very prominent.

The pupa is pinkish-brown with darker, expanded wing-cases. the wing-like expansions on the abdomen are distinctive.

Length of Caterpillar: 45 mm. Length of pupa: 30 mm.

Larval Host Plants

The caterpillars feed on Aristolochia bracteolata, Aristolochia indica and Thottea siliquosa ( Aristolochiaceae ).

Common Rose

2006-07-27T08:26:00.000+05:30

Scientific Name :- Pachliopta aristolochiae

Common Rose is a butterfly with a wingspan of 80 -110 mm. It is a black butterfly with a crimson body. there is a large white area on the hind wings. A series of deep red or brownish - red spots are present on the outer margin of the hind wings. the sexes look alike.

The Crimson Rose is a similar species which is larger, brighter and has two white central bands on its fore wings. The Malabar Rose ( Pachilipta pandiyana Moore ) has a much larger white patch on its hind wings. It is found only in the southern and central Western ghats. The female of the Common Mormon ( form stichius) mimics this species.

Status, Distribution and Habitat

It is distributed all over the oriental region and is very common throughout India. It is found mainly in open, cultivated areas, scrub and deciduous forests. A common visitor to garden flowers, it is also seen in most crowded cities. It is more frequent during and after the rains, being less common during very cold or very hot periods of the year.

Habits

The flight of some swallowtails is interesting, with the long fore wings being used for propelling the body in flight and the hind wings mainly for balancing and steering. The Common Rose is one example of this, and the flight style is distinctly evident when the butterfly is feeding from flowers. At this time, the fore wings are flapped continuously and the hind wings ae moved only a little to control the movement of the body. The flight is slow but straight and long sustained. The butterfly flies usually not more than 3 - 4 m above the ground when it is searching for flowers or for the larval host plant. However, when it travels long distances, it flies up to 10 - 15 m above open ground and slightly higher when flying over the forest.

Commonrose is fond of flowers, especially of Lantana, Cosmos, Zinnia, etc and visits wet soil occasionally.

Early in the morning Common Rose can be seen basking near tree tops with its wings spread out.

Reproduction

The female takes a long time fluttering around and investigating the host plant to confirm that the plant has abundant young leaves for the ever hungry caterpillars. the eggs are laid on the underside of leaves of Aristolochia. the egg is round and reddish. the caterpillar is a velvety maroon in colour with a whitish band on its abdominal segments. This band is more important in the advanced stages of the caterpillar. The caterpillar has fleshy protuberancs on the body, is bulky and slow in its movements. The pupa is brownish and held at an angle to the support, generally a stick, by means of a body-band. It looks unusual due to the large flat, semi circular projections on the back of the abdomen, thorax and head.

The caterpillars, and hence the butterflies, are protected because of the pungent smelling aristolochic acids found in their host plants. They smell and taste unpleasant and predators soon learn to avoid them. However, in spite of their unpalatibility to birds and reptiles, the caterpillars are vulnerable to parasitoid attacks. the braconid wasps that parasitize Southern Birdwing caterpilars also parasitize the caterpillars of the Common Rose. The aristolochic acid defenses of their host are of no use against the wasps as the wasps also have evolved along with their host in such a way that the acids have no adverse effect on them.

Larval Host Plants

The caterpillars feed on creepers and climbers: Aristolochia bracteolata, Aristolochia indica, Aristolochia tagala and Thottea siliquosa ( Aristolochiaceae).

Southern Bird Wing

2006-07-26T13:26:00.000+05:30

Scientific Name :- Troides minos Cramer

Southern Bird Wing is the largest among butterflies of southern India and has a wingspan of 140 - 190 mm. The upper surface of its fore wings is deep black and that of its hind wings is golden - yellow with black wing - borders. The female is similar to the male, but less shiny and has a row of large triangular spots on the yellow areas of the hind wings. In both the sexes the undersides are similar to the uppersides.

Status, Distribution and Habitat

It is restricted to southern India and is very common in many areas of the southern and central Western Ghats. It is also found in Southern Maharashtra and northern Goa where, however, it is uncomen. It inhabits diverse habitats from lowland evergreen forests near the coast to mixed deciduous forests, dry scrub and agricultural fields. It is common in the monsoon and post - monsoon months but uncommon in summer.

Habits

Southern Bird Wing usually flies very high, among or above tree-tops in the forests, but sometimes descends to the ground. It flies in a leisurely manner, circling and sailing over the plants. This flight, coupled with its bright colours, advertises the fact that the species is unpalatable to birds and other large insectivorous predators. This unpalatability is due to the presence of aristolochic acids, which the caterpillar ingests while feeding on the leaves of its host plant which contain them. the fluttering of its wings sometimes gives the impression that the butterfly would not be able to fly afr but it is indded a very determined flier and covers long distances in a single flight. Even while flying in the canopy, it attracts attention because of its extremely large size, the wingspan being larger thatn those of small birds, hence the name: "birdwing".

The only food source of the Southern Bird Wing butterfly is flower nectar. Like many other large forest butterfly species that also inhabit gardens and orchards, it has taken to feeding on Lantana, Ixora and Mussaenda, which are common ornamental garden plants. The butterfly keeps fluttering its wings while feeding but closes them over its back when it rests.

Most of the diurnal butterflies become active in the morning only after the sun-rays raise the ambient temperature. The Birdwing, however, is remarkable in that it starts flying very early in the morning, much before other butterflies and thus may be found feeding earlier than them. the species does not exhibit any special basking behavious, but its jet-black scales are very efficient in capturing heat.

Reproduction of Southern Birdwing Butterfly

Egg

The habitually high-flying Birdwing female flies close to the ground and shrubs in search of the larval host plants, all of which are aristolochiaceous creepers and climbers. the female hovers about the host plant, and lays spherical eggs singly on the edges of the undersides of young leaves and shoots. the little caterpillar lives on the underside of leaves but as it grows fatter and larger, it rests on the underside of stalks and stems. As with the Roses, the caterpillar is extremely slow and uninterested in moving. the caterpillar and pupa, in general appearance , are similar to those of Common Rose. The caterpillar is velvety maroon-red with a shiny black head. It has four rows of long, fleshy and bright red tubercles - two subdorsal and two spiracular. the dorsal surface of the segments is shiny. the back has grey markings and there is a broad, oblique, pinkinsh - white band on the 7th and 8 th segments. The abdominal segments bear flattened outgrowths. The pupa is pale brown or green, marked with fine brown striations and minute markings. It is found on the underside of leaves, twigs, etc. If touched, it makes hissing sounds by rubbing together the 8th, 9th and 10th abdominal segments and swaying from side to side.

Caterpillar

The caterpillars are heavily parasitized by tiny Braconid wasps. Dozens of Braconid larvae, after eating the Birdwing caterpillar from inside, puncture the skin, wriggle out and make whitish cottony cocoons on the body of the caterpilar. After the Braconids pupate the caterpilar does not feed, but remains alive and motionless for a few hours or even days.

Larval Host Plants of Southern Bird Wing Butterfly

The host plants are small climbers and creepers of the family Aristolochiaceae, which grow in openings in the forests and on fallow lands: Aristolochia indica, Aristolochia tagala and Thottea siliquosa.

Garden

2006-07-08T11:27:00.000+05:30

Another view of my garden

Garden Pond

2006-07-02T09:49:00.000+05:30

A view of the pond which i constructed in my garden.

A view of my butterfly garden

2006-06-27T07:52:00.000+05:30

As you can see , finally my butterfly garden is taking shape, i'll posting more photos soon, as the monsoon's have arrived here in kerala, i'm relieved from the duty of watering the plants for the time being.

Butterfly pupa emerging

2006-06-11T07:24:00.000+05:30

A butterfly emerging from the pupa

Butterfly Pupae

2006-06-10T07:16:00.000+05:30

When the larva exceeds a minimum weight at a particular time of day it will stop feeding and begin "wandering" in search of a suitable pupation site, usually the underside of a leaf. The larva transforms into a pupa (chrysalis), which then transforms into a butterfly by metamorphosis. To transform from the miniature wings visible on the outside of the pupa into large structures usable for flight, the pupal wings undergo rapid mitosis and absorb a great deal of nutrients. If one wing is surgically removed early on, the other three will grow to a larger size. In the pupa the wing forms a structure that becomes compressed from top to bottom and pleated from proximal to distal ends as it grows, so that it can rapidly be unfolded to its full adult size. Several boundaries seen in the adult color pattern are marked by changes in the expression of particular transcription factors in the early pupa.

The pupa of a butterfly is known as chrysalis a term derived from the Greek word khrusos for gold, since a number of butterfly pupae, especially the Nymphalidae have metallic golden markings. The pupal stage is considered as the resting stage. But all transformations for the adult stage are taking place inside the pupa. Hence all the adult organs can be identified in it . but all these structures are firmly glued down to the surface. The abdomen is discernible with 10 segments and at the posterior end, there are generally a number of hooks forming a structure called the cremaster. This is used for the attachment of the pupa to the substrate. Pupa being immobile, is particularly vulnerable to attack by predators. Hence pupation frequently proceeds within a silken cocoon, of hollow of earth or leaf roll as in hesperiidae and some satyridae. The naked pupae are protectively coloured. Such naked puape may hang head – downwards by the cremaster ( tail hooks ) without any other support as in the Danaidae, most of the Satyridae and the Nymphalidae. They may also be attached by the cremaster but supported head- upwards by a silken girdle as in the Lycaenidae, Papilionidae and Pieridae. In both cases, the larva spins a little silken pad into which the hooks of cremaster are firmly embedded. They amy also gain protection by merging into the background and some are able to change their colour to match the surface on which they are resting. Others resemble dead leaves or pieces of twig and the poisonous pupae are usually conspicuous and brightly coloured. Normally the pupae are green or brown.

Adult butterfly emerges from the pupa in about 7 – 15 days. Adults emerge mostly during early morning hours. Adult crawls out by splitting open the pupal case on the back and perch on a suitable place. Immediately after emergence, wings are wrinkled and shriveled and they attain the normal shape soon. The wings get hardened after exposure to the sun. all these actions will be over within an hour. Then the fully opened butterfly will flutter out to find food and mate. At this point, the uric acid accumulated during the pupal period is eliminated in the form of a liquid, meconium, frequently yellow or pink or red. In some parts of the world, numerous drops of meconium sometimes produced following the mass emergence of certain species has given rise to such popular belief as the rain of blood.

Butterfly Caterpillar

2006-06-08T07:13:00.000+05:30

Butterfly Caterpillar

Butterfly Larvae, or caterpillars, are multi-legged eating machines. They consume plant leaves and spend practically all of their time in search of food. Caterpillars mature through a series of stages, called instars. Near the end of each instar the larva undergoes a process called apolysis, in which the cuticle, a mixture of chitin and specialized proteins, is released from the epidermis and the epidermis begins to form a new cuticle beneath. At the end of each instar the larva molts the old cuticle, and the new cuticle rapidly hardens and pigments. Development of butterfly wing patterns begins by the last larval instar. Butterflies belong to the specialized and prolific lineage of holometabolous insects, which means that wings or wing pads are not visible on the outside of the larva, but when larvae are dissected tiny developing "wing disks" can be found on the second and third thoracic segments, in place of the spiracles that are apparent on abdominal segments. Wing disks develop in association with a trachea that runs along the base of the wing, and are surrounded by a thin "peripodial membrane", which is linked to the outer epidermis of the larva by a tiny duct.

Wing disks are very small until the last larval instar, when they increase dramatically in size, are invaded by branching tracheae from the wing base that precede the formation of the wing veins, and begin to express molecular markers in patterns associated with several landmarks of the wing. Near pupation the wings are forced outside the epidermis under pressure from the hemolymph, and although they are initially quite flexible and fragile, by the time the pupa breaks free of the larval cuticle they have adhered tightly to the outer cuticle of the pupa (in obtect pupae). Within hours the wings form a cuticle so hard and well-joined to the body that pupae can be picked up and handled without damage to the wings.


Butterfly Caterpillar

Butterfly larvae ( caterpillars) are quite variable in color and shape. Basically, they have a well – developed head, 3 thoracic and 10 abdominal segments. The head has simple eyes ( ocelli ), a pair of 5 segmented legs or true legs each, which endin a curved claw. The abdomen normally hears 5 pairs of prolegs of false legs on segments 3 to 6 and on 10. the first 4 pairs are called abdominal legs and the last pair the claspers. These prolegs are fleshy, more or less conical, retractile and flattened and have a series of hooks or crochets which help the larva in locomotion. Nine pairs of spiracles or respiratory pores are borne respectively on the prothoracic and irst 8 abdominal segments. The last segment carries a sclerotised plate called surnal plate or button of silk for pupal attachment. The larval skin or cuticle is soft and flexible and may be clothed with spines or setae (bristles) ina few cases.

The larvae mainly feed on leaves of flowering plants. They are very specific in their feeding habits and will usually only feed on a few closely related plant species. Larvae recognize their host plants by certain aromatic vegetable oils, which they contain. It is generally believed that selection may depend upon the detection of chemical attractants in the food species and of repellents in others.

Butterfly Egg

2006-06-06T19:03:00.000+05:30

Butterfly eggs consist of a hard-ridged outer layer of shell, called the chorion. This is lined with a thin coating of wax which prevents the egg from drying out before the larva has had time to fully develop. Each egg contains a number of tiny funnel-shaped openings at one end, called micropyles; the purpose of these holes is to allow sperm to enter and fertilize the egg. Butterfly and moth eggs vary greatly in size between species, but they are all either spherical or ovate.

Butterfly Egg

The egg is the fertilized ovum of the female. Butterfly eggs are commonly yellow or green in color and may darken just before hatching. The shape of the egg may be spherical or oval and flattened. The chorion ( egg – shell ) is often beautifully reticulated / sculptured with ribs or pits. The egg is slightly depressed at the top and a small opening or micro Pyle is situated in it. Through the micro Pyle, the sperm enters the egg for fertilization and after the eggs are laid, air and moisture for the developing embryo pass through the micro Pyle only . egg yolk provides the food for the developing embryo.

Butterfly Eggs are always laid on or in the immediate vicinity of plants or any other food resource suitable for larval feeding. They are laid singly or in clusters, mostly on the upper surface of leaves or any part of the plant and a few species of butterflies scatter their eggs at random as they fly over vegetation. Frequently, eggs are laid on the undersurface of the leaf to protect them from rain, direct sunlight and to some extend predators. The female usually glues the eggs to the surface of the leaf or any substrate with a viscous secretion from her body. Female butterflies select the food plants for egg laying both by chemical and visual cues. Species of danaidae scratch the leaf to confirm the identity before laying eggs. Females avoid plants that already have eggs laid on them. Thus ensures that food is there for her eggs only.


Butterfly Egg

The fully formed embryo of the developing larva can be seen through the transparent chorion, just before hatching. The young larva gnaws its way through the shell and after hatching, it eats the shell as it contains nutrients essential for the larva. After eating the shell, the larvae will start devouring the food plant. Generally the egg period lasts for 3 – 4 days.

Butterfly Life Cycle

2006-05-31T07:16:00.000+05:30

Butterfly Life Cycle - Facinating creatures these........

See the life cycle of a butterfly has four stages, From Egg - Larva or Caterpillar - Pupa or Chrysalis - Adult Butterfly and is said to have a complete life cycle or metamorphosis.

Characteristically, butterflies undergo major developmental changes during their growth. For example, the butterfly lays eggs which hatch into creeping forms with chewing mouth parts. These are called caterpillars or larvae. Incidentally, the word caterpillar is derived from two latin words, catta pilosa, meaning ‘hairy car’ which is quite descriptive of some kinds. But butterfly larvae are not hairy. During this stage, the butterfly feeds and grows. As a matter of fact, it is only during the larval stage, that actual growth occurs, and a caterpillar’s only aim in life is to feed and store up food. As it increases in size, however, the number of cells in the body does not increase; they merely become larger. When full grown, the caterpillar sheds its skin and transforms into a pupa. This is called chrysalis in the case of butterfly. When this transformation occurs, the larval cells begin to die and clusters of adult cells, which have so far been quiescent, are stimulated into growth cells, which have so far been quiescent, are stimulated into growth by hormones or chemical regulators secreted by glands in the head and thorax.

During the pupal stage, the larval tissues are torn down and slowly rebuilt into organs more fitted for aerial life. When the chrysalis is mature, the wings and legs of the future butterfly can be seen through its transparent skin. The developed butterfly crawls out by splitting open the chrysalis. At first, its wings are mere fluid filled sacs, but these rapidly expand and harden, and the adult winged butterfly is then ready for flight. It no longer has mouthparts fitted fro chewing leaves; they are now tube like and are used only for siphoning nectar from flowers. There is no growth during the adult stage.

My Butterly Garden

2006-05-28T12:55:00.000+05:30

Being habitual of getting up early in the morning to go for a jog, and being the nature lover that I am, I usually take a few minutes to admire nature in all it’s glory with the majestic towering trees, the lovely and bright flowers, the chirpy birds and pretty butterflies on them.

Butterflies are fascinating creatures, and I do love them. Wildlife photography being my hobby I’ve seen a lot of butterflies in their natural habitat and with much difficulty managed to photograph some.

Well u can’t blame the butterflies for not cooperating; it just that they are not accustomed to people!!!

I have often tried to capture this beauty with my camera and been successful many a times which is evident from the large collection of butterflies I have shot till now. And they always took me back to the time when as a kid I wanted to capture this beauty in a very different way…in a glass bottle ! All grown up and hopefully matured too…now these delicate and graceful little souls hold more fascination than the ladies of bollywood in all their myriad colors and hues and blink-n-u-miss appearances…!

And yes, my friends do snub me bout running after them often…so one day I shot back at them saying I don’t run after butterflies all the time…they just come to me naturally!! Well I guess now you know how the idea of a butterfly garden at my house germinated…

So exactly how do u woo butterflies? With lots of flowers….and chocolates? Nah, just flowers for the real butterflies I think…Hmm…I need to do some serious research on this I think…!!

So... lemme first find out more about the butterflies.....