Butterflies migrate in riot of colours

Ooty: The world of insects has something quite colourful to offer in the month of November in the hills. The migration of butterflies in Ketti and Geddai slopes is keeping naturalists and entomologists busy observing and tracking the migratory movements to study the pattern in detail. 

The flight of butterflies in small numbers is a regular phenomenon. But, butterflies moving in huge numbers in Ketti and Geddai slopes have triggered much interest even in the lay man who sees the sheer beauty of natural wonders for a few minutes.

The migration pattern may mean little for the common man but for naturalists it is something special to cherish as it provides an opportunity to study the migratory path, movements and other related matters associated with migration. 

Saying that butterfly migration is also area specific after the monsoon rains, Dr D.Jayabalan, an entomologist who is assistant professor of zoology and wildlife biology at the Govt. Arts College, said that this a kind of local migration of butterflies, which usually move from one place to another in search of nectar.

Their search for food in plants belonging to the citrus family of the plant kingdom causes the colourful journey. “One can observe butterfly varieties such as Blue Tiger and Common Crow migrating together. 

Their migratory distance ranges between three and 15 kms.  When they find suitable host plants for food, they settle there.  Thereafter, reproduction would begin there as the host plants would enable emerging pupa to develop and become an adult. 

The migration in butterflies is learnt to be their instinct trait and research is still on to ascertain whether new-born butterflies would return to their native place as their life cycle is comparatively short. Moreover, they encounter problems with predators for their survival” he explained.