- Flurry of crimson rose butterflies spotted heading towards SL
Butterflies have been a fascination to many people from their childhood due to their colourful and delicate wings which make them the fairies of the real world. Sri Lanka is world famous for the phenomenon of internal butterfly migration and has been documented by many international authors. Locally, we call this incident the “butterfly pilgrimage of Mount Sri Pada (Adams Peak) to worship the footprint of Lord Buddha”.
Introducing us to this butterfly, Jayasinghe told us that the crimson rose (Pachliopta hector) is a large swallowtail butterfly belonging to the genus Pachliopta (roses) of the red-bodied swallowtails. The male can be recognised from its black wings, the forewing’s broken white band, the hind wings with a series of crimson spots, and tail. The female is also similar, being a little duller in colour. He added that the crimson rose is seen in both nature reserves as well as in the open country, especially during the dry seasons. They are known to have strong migratory habits during the peak of their season, which is happening currently.
We asked him why these butterflies have chosen to occupy Sri Lanka at this time, to which he replied that these butterflies lay eggs in December during the North-East monsoon in the thousands, and they hatch towards February – during which time they begin to migrate. He also informed us that crimson rose butterflies originate from Sri Lanka – in the dry zone specifically – where they grow and populate and eventually migrate to find more space.
“This migratory pattern is usually between India and Sri Lanka. They lay eggs here and migrate towards India where they lay eggs, after which the newborn butterflies migrate back to Sri Lanka, and the cycle of life continues,” he explained.
He also told us that crimson rose butterflies are particularly hardy butterflies, and are not prey to many birds since they are poisonous.
Even though this migration still exists, the number of butterflies has been drastically reduced over the years. Jayasinghe explained that this reduction is also true for many other non-migratory species as well due to two major reasons: habitat destruction and degradation.
“The forests were cleared for coffee and tea cultivation, and the process is still continuing at an alarming rate with the increasing human population,” he commented, adding that many of the suitable habitats for butterflies and other living creatures are being destroyed due to these activities.
Further, he added that there are some rare butterflies who require very specific microhabitat conditions. “Tree felling alters the light intensity that will penetrate into the forests, and high use of chemicals for cultivation and industrial purposes will alter water, soil, and plant chemical compositions, which will cause significant negative impacts on all flora and fauna,” he explained, adding that affecting fauna population will directly influence the life cycles of lepidopterans.
According to the BCSSL, these microhabitat requirements are not only restricted to the adult butterfly, but most importantly, are required for early stages (egg, larva, and pupa). “Due to their short life span, unexpected changes to weather patterns could also be a major threat to them, which is mainly happening due to climate change and global warming,” he said.
When talking about the importance of butterfly conservation, he explained that the presence of these tiny insects beautify our environment and make us happy. More importantly, he stated that they contribute to the ecological balance of the environment, mainly by helping to pollinate many fruit-bearing plant species through their own feeding activities. From a conservation point of view, he told us that butterflies can be categorised into two groups, noting: “The first group are the butterflies that do not require specific microhabitat requirements and therefore can be conserved within urban environments.”
Butterfly gardening is a well-known conservation technique throughout the world, which provides suitable conditions for butterflies within urban areas. Jayasinghe stated that the key approach is to provide them with their larval food plants and nectar plants, while making sure to get rid of toxic chemicals such as artificial fertilisers and pesticides, adding that any person can do this conservation activity in their home garden, irrespective of its size.
The second category that he told us about are the butterflies that require specific microhabitat conditions. It is extremely difficult to recreate the microhabitat they need in a new environment due to time constraints and expenditure as well as the extensive research work that is needed to understand the requirements of some of these species. Therefore, conserving existing habitats and upgrading degraded habitats are the best strategies that should be implemented at governmental or organisational level.