Visitors charmed by first butterfly park of India

Bahadurpura: The visitors of Zoo now are able to enjoy the First Butterfly Park of India, which is now renovated and reopened at Nehru Zoological Park in Bahadurpura, informed the zoo authorities on Thusday.

According to the zoo officials, this Butterfly Park was officially reopened for visitors on October 6, was established in the year 1998 with an area of around 5 acres. This park attracts about 36 species of butterflies that can be seen seasonally. This park is well maintained in eco-friendly way with various nectar and larval host plants and also plants that produce essential alkaloids to attract butterflies.

There are 17,000 species of butterflies in the world and in India there are 1500 species in which 20% are endemic and in Telangana there are 155 species. Butterflies are highly sensitive to changes in climate, pollution levels and harmful chemicals hence they are known as Bio indicators of healthy environment.

They play a prominent role in food chain as they are food source for many birds, insects' lizards, frogs etc, other than wasps, bees, moths, flies, birds, bats, butterflies also play an important role in pollinating flowers.

Interesting facts

Butterflies exist on all continents except Antarctica. Studying the arrangement of scales on butterflies' wings has inspired researchers to invent solar panels. Butterflies have taste receptors on their feet.

Life cycle

The life cycle of the butterfly includes four stages, called the complete metamorphosis. These stages are 1) Embryo (egg stage) (2) Caterpillar Larva or Pupa stage, (3) the adult (winged) (4) reproductive stage.

Basking

Butterflies are "cold blooded" which really means that they do not generate enough heat from their own metabolism to provide them with the heat and energy they need to fly. As a result, in order to generate enough heat and energy, butterflies spread their wings flat, towards sunlight to get maximum exposure on their bodies.

Mud Puddling

Butterflies get most of their nutrition from flower nectar. Though rich in sugar lacks some important nutrients that butterflies need for reproduction. For those, butterflies visit puddles. By sipping moisture from mud puddles, butterflies take in salts and minerals from the soil. This behavior is called puddling and is mostly seen in male butterflies.