Butterflies at Puttenahalli Lake

Of late we have been seeing a marked increase in the number of butterflies at the lake. We'd just planted the butterfly attracting shrubs and most are yet to flower so this cannot be why the butterflies are flitting around in such large numbers. 

Rather than break our heads seeking explanations and trying to identify the colourful butterflies, we sought help from Chinmayi S.K. a keen lepidopterist from Banashankari to visit the lake. She did so on 6th June and during her visit, she recorded as many as 15 species of butterflies. 

Here are Chinmayi's observations, some of the butterflies she photographed.

Species observed:

  

      Common Emigrant (on a Button Coat flower)

Plain Tiger

Striped Tiger

  

Dark Blue Tiger (on a Crown flower/ Calotropis gigantea)

Yellow Pansy (on a Lantana plant)

Peacock Pansy

Others (no pics)

Lemon Pansy 

Daniad Eggfly

Common Jezebel

Pale Grass Blue

Common Mormon

Crimson Rose

Grass Yellow ?

Lime 

Double Banded Crow 

Behaviour observed: 

The Common Emigrant, Dark Blue Tiger, Lime and Double Banded Crow were migrating in huge numbers.

The Button Coat flowers serve as excellent nectar plants. The newly planted plants are yet to be a major attractor of butterflies. 

Visit the lake and see how many of these butterflies you can spot!

Usha