The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Fascinated by butterflies

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Sunday, Nov 30, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Fascinated by butterflies

S. Tej Kumar, retired professor of ANGRAU, shares with Swathi V. some interesting facts about the colourful insect species

S. Tej Kumar

“As a professor in ANGRAU, I was doing exactly the opposite of what I am doing now,” chuckles S. Tej Kumar with obvious reference to his previous profession of handling insects hazardous to the crop.

However, he hastens to add that butterflies are not harmful. He got addicted to the multi-hued creatures while pursuing his hobby of bird-watching as a member of the A.P. Birdwatchers’ Society.

For the last 30 years, he has been collecting samples and snaps of each kind of butterfly, and has so far recorded information about 200 species, including the Ornithoptera alexandrae, the biggest butterfly measuring 11 inches.

So much so that he receives butterfly samples as gifts from his daughter.

“Butterflies and moths are the second largest group among insects with over 1,42,500 species.

Numbers dwindling

India has about 15,000 of them, of which 1,500 are endemic to the country,” he says and adds that there are thousands of species yet to be discovered. However, their numbers are dwindling due to the growing construction activity and urbanisation. Apart from habitat destruction, there is also direct violence that affects their numbers.

“Japanese visitors to North East engage people to catch butterflies by paying Rs.10,000 per day per person. North East incidentally houses about 835 species of butterflies,” Dr. Kumar says.

He feels that butterflies should be saved if not for their beauty, for their function of being good pollinators and indicators of biodiversity. It was with this intention that he formed the Society three years ago. It has 50 active members now who make regular trips to forest areas where insect life is abundant.

“The Polavaram project and the mining around Chintapally, Seeleru and Upper Seeleru are bound to harm the butterfly population there. Especially, the Blue Mormon species in Papi Hills faces risk,” says Dr. Kumar and adds that many varieties are yet to be found in the moist evergreen forests.

Butterfly India Meet

The Society also organised the Butterfly India Meet at Maredumilli in 2007 when the participating delegates camped in the thick forests and counted over 100 species of butterflies within three days.

Membership

Field trips, lectures, meets, and screening of films are part of the Society’s other activities. For membership, one has to pay a fee of Rs.200, renewable annually. For life membership, the amount would be Rs.2,500 for individual and Rs.3,500 for family. For more details, one may contact Mr.Kumar at 9441186822.

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