Uttarakhand’s first butterfly gallery opens in Dehradun

DEHRADUN: The research wing of the Uttarakhand Forest Department has established Uttarakhand’s first-ever butterfly gallery at the Nature Education Centre, Jolly Grant, in Dehradun.

The gallery showcases high-resolution images of Uttarakhand’s butterflies, giving visitors an eye-catching display of these unique species.

This gallery serves as an educational and awareness platform, highlighting the ecological importance of butterflies in pollination, food chains, and overall ecosystem health.

Sanjiv Chaturvedi, Chief Conservator of Forests (Research), said, “The butterfly gallery is an attempt to highlight Uttarakhand’s remarkable butterfly diversity and promote a greater appreciation for these ecologically significant species. By educating visitors about their role in the ecosystem, we aim to encourage conservation efforts and raise awareness about their protection.”

Uttarakhand is home to around 500 species of butterflies. This gallery showcases 105 butterfly species from five different families — Papilionidae, Hesperidae, Lycanidae, Nymphalidae and Pieridae.

Some notable species include the Common Peacock, a striking swallowtail butterfly with iridescent blue-green hues and also serving as the state butterfly of the State. Indian Oakleaf, a master of camouflage, mimicking a dry Oak leaf when its wings are closed; Spangle, a striking black swallowtail butterfly with a glossy sheen; Common Rose, a distinctive red-bodied butterfly with elegant black wings; Indian Red Admiral, a resilient butterfly found in high-altitude regions, recognized by its bold red and black markings.

Another unique feature of this gallery is the display of information about important host plants for various butterfly species, like the Astor tree being a host plant for the common castor butterfly, and plants of the Lamiceae family being host plants for the lemon butterfly.

Preserved butterfly specimens are also displayed in this gallery, allowing visitors to closely observe their intricate wing patterns, colors, and structural diversity.

The gallery also showcases interesting information about their mud-puddling behavior (where butterflies congregate on moist soil to extract essential nutrients, which are crucial for their survival and reproduction) and the Butterfly life cycle (illustrating the transformation from egg to caterpillar, pupa, and finally, the enchanting adult butterfly).

Another striking attraction is the information and map display of Monarch Butterfly Migration, which vividly illustrates one of the most extraordinary migration events in the world, covering an area of around 4800 km, spanning four generations.

The gallery also displays beautiful poems on butterflies by poets like Rabindranath Tagore and Robert Frost. (ANI)