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Butterfly diversity of Karpagam College of Pharmacy, Coimbatore
Ramanasaran Hari
[email protected]
My college is located in between Coimbatore City and Pollachi. The
place mostly consists of Palm Plantations and Agricultural Farms and
with some of the trees. Temperature is slightly higher at this place
when compared to Coimbatore City.
Karpagam College of Pharmacy
I have been watching butterflies in my college for past one year. I was
sceptic about the butterfly number counts as the college area is
smaller. However, the total butterfly count for the year exceeded my
expectation with 84 species.
I started watching butterflies from January 2018 and continuing till
date. Each month had different species show up around. The most
common butterflies were Danaid Eggfly, Great Eggfly, Dark Cerulean
and Pea Blue.
Place: Karpagam College of
Pharmacy, Othakaalmandapam
District: Coimbatore
How to reach: From Pollachi and
Coimbatore.
Habitat: Grassland, Cultivation
By the start of January 2018,
most the areas around the
college were dry. The same
scenario continued till March
2018. The most commonly seen butterflies during this period were
the African Marbled Skipper, Indian Skipper and Danaid Eggfly.
After the month of March, the summer rains start and slowly the
place turns green. Common Rose and Crimson Rose would start to
appear more in number. Along with Roses, Common Grass Yellows
and Three spot Grass Yellows also will grow in numbers during the
summer rainy season.
By the month of April, the migration started just a month
before the commencement of South West Monsoon.
Plentiful of Blue tigers, Common Crow, Double Branded
Crow, Common Emigrants, Pea Blues, Red Helens and Lime
Butterflies were seen during the migration.
By the start of June, most of the other species starts to come
out. More number of Common Banded Peacock was sighted
on this June month. Especially, Chestnut Streaked Sailor,
Common Baron, Peacock Pansy, Common Leopard and
Common Nawab had appeared on the month of June and
July. A large number of Grass Jewels, Babul blues come out
during the August. More number of Blues can be seen till November. Again during the September month,
migration started. The butterflies namely Blue tigers, Common Crows, Common Emigrants, Pea blues, Red
Helens and Lime Butterflies were seen on migration. Pea blues were large in number than the blue tigers,
crows and lime butterfly during the migration before the onset of North East Monsoon period.
PATTAMPOOCHI
A TNBS MAGAZINE
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