Butterfly Migration Thrives In Tamil Nadu’s Western Ghats

 

    Tamil Nadu recently saw a massive migration of butterflies from the Danainae sub-family, specifically the species called ‘tigers and crows.’ These butterflies moved from the Eastern Ghats (a mountain range in India) toward the Western Ghats. This migration in 2023 was much larger than in the previous year.

Butterfly Sub-family

The Danainae sub-family includes well-known butterflies like:
  • Blue Tiger
  • Dark Blue Tiger
  • Double-branded Crow
  • Common Crow
    These butterflies typically follow a two-part migration pattern. First, they fly toward the hills before the northeast monsoon (which brings rain), and then they return to the plains after the southwest monsoon (another rainy season).

Migration Pattern

    The Nature and Butterfly Society (TNBS) has been tracking this butterfly migration since 2013. Every year, they see a large number of butterflies emerging in the last week of September. The butterflies usually start migrating early in the morning and continue until the evening. On peak days, hundreds of butterflies can be seen flying across specific areas.

Key Observations

    The migration reached its peak on September 28, 2023, when large groups of butterflies were spotted moving through various regions like Yercaud, Salem, Tiruppur, and Coimbatore. Observers recorded seeing between 10 to 200 butterflies per minute in some areas.

    The large-scale migration in 2023 was linked to better rainfall during the southwest monsoon. This created good breeding conditions for the butterflies, allowing their populations to thrive. In contrast, the previous year saw less rainfall, which restricted the migration.

Mapped Areas of Migration

    Some of the key areas where butterflies were observed during their migration include:
  • Sathyamangalam and Dimbam hill ranges
  • Districts like Coimbatore, Madurai, and the Nilgiris
In these places, many butterflies were sighted moving in large numbers.
Additional Species

Yes, apart from ‘tigers and crows,’ other butterfly species also took part in the migration, including:
  • Lemon Pansy
  • Tawny Coster
  • Common Emigrant
  • Chocolate Pansy

This highlights the diversity of butterflies involved in the migration event.

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