Santiniketan: It is not just the birds, but butterflies migrate too! For an estimate, around 60 varieties of butterflies migrate to India every year and out of them, around 10 to 11 varieties migrate to West Bengal's Santiniketan, twice a year.
But, why do butterflies migrate? According to experts, there are three basic reasons behind the migration of butterflies – lack of adequate food, change of weather and reproduction. Interestingly, during the migration period, many butterflies undergo three generations of reproduction but eventually land in the chosen destination. This is how the honey-hunting colourful wings reach the land of Tagore. But, how does a butterfly, which has been born in transit, know where to go?
Butterfly researcher Samiran Nandi says, “This part of the insects' behaviour is yet to be decoded. Research is on.” Nani has been researching butterflies for over 30 years in Santiniketan and says that there are around a little over thousand varieties of migratory butterflies found around the world and only 60 varieties are found in India. The migratory capability of the 'Monarch' butterflies of the USA is the highest with travelling distances ranging up to 5,000 km. And it takes around six reproductive cycles to complete the distance.
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“The reason behind the migration of butterflies is similar to that of migratory birds which are mostly lack of food and climate change. The butterflies are vulnerable to weather conditions and changes force them to migrate for favourable conditions,” says Nandi.
“Migratory butterflies come in during the monsoon and winters in Santiniketan. Each variety of butterfly has its own choice of tree and they like the variety of honey of that particular tree's flowers. So, we have noted that whenever there is much rain, the numbers dwindle,” he says.
Bull Tiger, Common Immigrant, Common Rose, Painted Lady, Crow, Common Crow, Lemon Panzy, Fibre Sword-Tail, Plain Tiger, Toyen and some other varieties are the most commonly found migratory butterflies in Santiniketan and mostly they concentrate in the jungle close to Lalbandh Jheel.
Nandi stresses on more research on the behavioural pattern of the butterflies, especially migratory butterflies and feels more research on the insects could open new vistas about the winged beauties.
Also read: Migratory butterflies return from Wayanad
