Winged explorations: Butterfly walk in Pachamalai Hills

CHENNAI: As the golden gleam of the 8.30 am sun very delicately filtered through the trees of the Pachamalai Hills, around 30 eager participants – from wide-eyed children buzzing with excitement, to elders with eagerness in them to unravel the mysteries of the woodland – gathered at the foothills to discover butterflies of the ecosystem.

At the centre of it all stood Jomi Jose and Gowtham Marimuthu – the facilitators of the day’s Butterfly Walk, who are part of the Palluyir Trust for Nature Education and Research – set to unveil the magic surrounding these fluttering jewels.

- Jomi Jose and Gowtham Marimuthu

A few professional wildlife photographers adjusted their lenses, ready to capture fleeting moments of beauty.

Just about when Jomi began explaining the importance of butterflies in the ecosystem, two little white dogs trotted into the scene with their tails wagging, utterly oblivious to the scientific discussion.

“We need to learn that butterflies aren’t just pretty insects, but are vital pollinators, migratory marvels, and ecological indicators,” begins Jomi.

But why was Pachamalai Hills chosen for this walk? “This place is a biodiversity hotspot – rare in an urban sprawl like Chennai. It’s rich in host plants like calotropis for the plain tiger butterfly and nectar sources like lantana.”

The walk then meandered through winding trails, where the guide pointed out different butterfly species fluttering between host plants and nectar flowers. A common pierrot rested delicately on a leaf, its dark wings glinting under the sunlight.

- L to R (Top): eretmocera, tawny costers mating; L to R (Bottom) tawny coster chrysallis, plain tiger

Did you know that butterflies migrate in June and continue until the end of August or mid-September? And that they migrate from the Western Ghats to the Eastern Ghats? “That’s correct!” Gowtham Marimuthu is quick to explain. “Butterflies migrate from the Western Ghats to the Eastern Ghats as the southwest monsoon begins in the Western Ghats. They leave the Western Ghats before the rains. This migration process is termed 'dispersal'.”

The crowd seemed amused as many had never imagined such tiny creatures undertaking long journeys.

“Butterflies use migratory corridors like mountain edges, rivers, and mountain gaps for migration because the wind helps them to fly, saving energy.”

- During the group discussion from the butterfly walk

Gyana Sounder, a professional wildlife photographer from Andaman and Nicobar Islands had an astonishing look to himself hearing about their migration. "Little did I know that butterflies migrated too. Birds migrate from Siberia or China, but butterflies...!"

But beyond that, the event also showed Gyana how careless we are with nature. "People disturb habitats without realising their importance—trampling bushes, leaving trash, and even breaking bottles that harm small creatures. When a single endangered species is lost, the impact is huge."

“Is there a peak season when Chennai gets to witness these beautiful insects?” questions a rather inquisitive mother of a 6-year-old. “The peak session can't be predicted. When the southwest monsoon brings heavy rains to the Western Ghats, that’s typically the peak time. Last year, the butterfly season peaked in July," Gowtham shares.

The whole course of the walk, Karunya Baskar, a nature educator herself, has been jotting down details of every single butterfly she encounters. "I am also part of the Palluyir Trust. These notes are for my future reference as I will be conducting the next butterfly walk," she adds. Karunya specifically loved discovering the batesian mimicry in butterflies. "The common Mormon butterfly mimics the crimson rose and the common rose butterfly – both of which are unpalatable species. Isn't that fascinating enough?"

As the walk ended, the initial excitement had deepened into quiet awe. We are all left with not just photographs and a bundle full of shared memories, but a newfound appreciation for these fragile yet vital creatures.

Pic caption: Gyana Sounder and Karunya Baskar

Fragile flyers trivia

-The tawny coster and plain tigers are found all through the year in Chennai.

-Blue tigers and common crows are migratory; they are found more in plants like crotalaria and

heliotropium to take in alkaloids (chemicals), which help the male butterflies in mating.

-Castalius rosimon is a butterfly that belongs to the blues family, which flies close to the ground and is quite fast flying. They also show disruptive colouration like the zebras.

-Eretmocera is a moth species which belongs to the same order as butterflies. The most common host plant for them is the Alternanthera sessilis (sessile joyweed).

- L to R (Top): blue tiger, skipper; L to R (Bottom) common pierrot, tawny coster