Sammilan Shetty's Butterfly Park in Belvai, Mangalore district, Karnataka, India
SAMMILAN SHETTY’S BUTTERFLY PARK
The Paradise of Winged Jewels
Butterflies are one of the most amazing creations of nature. They form an important part in an ecosystem. They have fascinated us by their beauty and their wing patterns. Their transformation from egg to caterpillar, then pupa and the adult emerging out of it, is truly an amazing thing one could witness. They form an important part of nature’s food web and they are good pollinators too. Their story of migration still remains a mystery for the scientists. Some of them are used as indicator species, to identify habitats that are critical and requires immediate attention for conservation. Sammilan Shetty’s Butterfly Park in Belvai village is spread across 7.35 acres of land, located in the foot of Kanthavara forest in between the two famous towns Moodabidri and Karkala on National Highway 13. The place being admist Western Ghats hosts more than 100 species of butterflies, including some of the endemic and most dazzling butterflies of the world. The major attractions include the Malabar Banded Peacock(Papilio buddha), Southern Birdwing (Troides minos), Paris Peacock(Papilio paris), Tamil Lacewing(Cethosia nietneri), Tawny Rajah (Charaxes bernardus), Black Rajah (Charaxes solon), Red Spot Duke (Dophla evelina), Autumn Leaf (Doleschallia bisaltide), Clipper (Parthenos sylvia), Western Centaur Oakblue (Arhopala pseudocentaurus), Large Oakblue (Arhopala amantes), and many more. Rare beauties like Blue Nawab (Polyura schreiber), Tamil Oakblue (Arhopala bazaloides) and Banded Royal (Rachana jalindra) have been recorded here. The park also hosts a significant variety of naturally found host plants and the result is the thriving bio-diversity in the park. The secondary forest is engulfed with the iconic tree of Western Ghats the Hopea ponga, which is the host plant of three varieties of Oakblue found here. Efforts to propagate more native host plants to support the caterpillar stage of butterflies is in progress.
About us
Sammilan Shetty’s Butterfly Park founded in the year 2011, with the aim of conserving the dwindling butterflies of Western Ghats, was the brainchild of a passionate butterfly lover and conservationist, Sammilan Shetty. A born nature lover from a village called Belvai near Moodabidri, he did his schooling at Rotary English Medium School, Moodabidri and then studied at Sri Bhuvanendra College, Karkala. Having spent most of his time exploring the secondary forests in his village, increased his interest in nature. He would observe birds, search for their nests, admire fishes in streams and the other wildlife he came across. His special interest for butterflies grew when he was allotted a project on “Study of local butterflies” by his Zoology teacher Shri Ashok C H, during his graduation days at Alva’s College Moodabidri, in the year 2006. Since then he has been keenly observing these winged beauties and dedicated himself to conserve them. The idea of setting up a butterfly park for conservation, was born after he came across a write up on, Gardening for Butterflies-by Isaac Kehimkar in his book, “The Book of Indian Butterflies”. This has later lead to serious awareness programmes and conservation activities through the park.
Our Mission
To conserve the butterfly fauna of Western Ghats and to give a chance for the butterflies to live. To create awareness among people, specially among youngsters and to make them understand the importance of butterflies in nature, whom we believe, would make this earth, a better place to live in. Join us on every Sunday at the park to know and conserve these wonderful creatures on earth!
Our logo
The logo has in it, the endemic and the dazzling beauty of Western Ghats, The Malabar Banded Peacock(Papilio buddha), which also symbolizes the species richness of the place. This species is a common sight in the park from the month of July to November, due to the flowering of large number of Clerodendrum viscosa, which is a major source of nectar for these beauties, which is naturally found in the park, conserved from years. Our designer Vasanth Kumar has given his best to come out with such a wonderful logo to strengthen our efforts towards conservation.
Butterflies in the Park
The park hosts 116 species of Butterflies throughout the year belonging to five families, namely
Hesperiidae (Skippers)
• Indian Skipper (Spialia galba)
• Common Small Flat (Sarangesa dasahara)
• Tricoloured Pied Flat (Coladenia indrani)
• Suffused Snow Flat (Tagiades gana)
• Water Snow Flat (Tagiades litigiosa)
• Tamil Grass Dart (Taractrocera ceramas)
• Common Grass Dart (Taractrocera maevius)
• Dark Palm Dart (Telicota ancilla)
• Pale Palm Dart (Telicota colon)
• Conjoined Swift (Pelopidas conjuncta)
• Blank Swift (Caltoris kumara)
• Indian Palm Bob (Suastus gremius)
• Giant Redeye (Gangara thyrsis)
• Common Redeye (Matapa aria)
• Chestnut Bob (Iambrix salsala)
• Grass Demon (Udaspes folus)
• Bush Hopper (Ampittia dioscorides)
• Pygmy Scrub Hopper (Aeromachus pygmaeus)
• Parnara Swift spp (Parnara sp)
• Smaller Dartlet (Oriens goloides)
• Rice Swift (Borbo cinnara)
• Brown Awl (Badamia exclamationis)
• Common Banded Demon (Notocrypta paralysos)
Papilionoidae (Swallowtails)
• Common Bluebottle (Graphium sarpedon)
• Common Jay (Graphium doson)
• Tailed Jay (Graphium agamemnon)
• Common Mime (Chilasa clytia)
• Common Mormon (Papilio polytes)
• Red Helen (Papilio helenus)
• Blue Mormon (Papilio polymnestor)
• Lime Butterfly (Papilio demoleus)
• Paris Peacock (Papilio paris)
• Malabar Banded Peacock (Papilio buddha)
• Common Rose (Pachliopta aristolochiae)
• Crimson Rose (Pachliopta hector)
• Malabar Rose (Pachliopta pandiyana)
• Southern Birdwing (Troides minos)
Peridae (Whites and Yellows)
• Three Spot Grass Yellow (Eurema blanda)
• Common Grass Yellow (Eurema hecabe)
• Common Emigrant (Catopsilia pomona)
• Mottled Emigrant (Catopsilia pyranthe)
• Common Jezebel (Delias eucharis)
• Psyche (Leptosia nina)
• Great Orange Tip (Hebomoia glaucippe)
Lycaenidae (Blues)
• Apefly (Spalgis epius)
• Western Centaur Oakblue (Arhopala pseudocentaurus)
• Large Oakblue (Arhopala amantes)
• Common Acacia Blue (Surendra quercetorum)
• Redspot (Zesius chrysomallus)
• Yamfly (Loxura atymnus)
• Monkey Puzzle (Rathinda amor)
• Banded Royal (Rachana jalindra)
• Slate Flash (Rapala manea)
• Common Silverline (Spindasis vulcanus)
• Banded Blue Pierrot (Discolampa ethion)
• Common Pierrot (Castalius rosimon)
• Common Lineblue (Prosotas nora)
• Tailless Lineblue (Prosotas dubiosa)
• Common Cerulean (Jamides celeno)
• Pea Blue (Lampides boeticus)
• Pale Grass Blue (Pseudozizeeria maha)
• Lesser Grass Blue (Zizina otis)
• Tiny Grass Blue (Zizula hylax)
• Red Pierrot (Talicada nyseus)
• Gram Blue (Euchrysops cnejus)
• Common Hedge Blue (Acytolepis puspa)
• Lime Blue (Chilades lajus)
• Plum Judy (Abisara echerius)
• Tamil Oakblue (Arhopala bazaloides)
• Indian Sunbeam (Curetis thetis)
• Cornelian (Deudorix epijarbas)
Nymphalidae (Brush-footed butterflies)
• Blue Tiger (Tirumala limniace)
• Dark Blue Tiger (Tirumala septentrionis)
• Striped Tiger (Danaus genutia)
• Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus)
• Glassy Tiger (Parantica aglea)
• Brown King Crow (Euploea klugii)
• Common Crow (Euploea core)
• Common Nawab (Polyura athamas)
• Tawny Rajah (Charaxes bernardus)
• Black Rajah (Charaxes solon)
• Common Evening Brown (Melanitis leda)
• Dark Evening Brown (Melanitis phedima)
• Bamboo Treebrown (Lethe europa)
• Tailed Palmfly (Elymnias caudate)
• Common Bushbrown (Mycalesis perseus)
• Medus Brown (Orsotrioena medus)
• Common Fivering (Ypthima baldus)
• Common Fourring (Ypthima huebneri)
• Tawny Coster (Acraea violae)
• Tamil Lacewing (Cethosia nietneri)
• Cruiser (Vindula erota)
• Rustic (Cupha erymanthis)
• Common Leopard (Phalanta phalantha)
• Blackvein Sergeant (Athyma ranga)
• Common Lascar (Pantoporia hordonia)
• Chestnut-Streaked Sailer (Neptis jumbah)
• Common Sailer (Neptis hylas)
• Clipper (Parthenos sylvia)
• Common Baron (Euthalia aconthea)
• Gaudy Baron (Euthalia lubentina)
• Grey Count (Tanaecia lepidea)
• Red Spot Duke (Dophla evelina)
• Angled Castor (Ariadne ariadne)
• Common Castor (Ariadne merione)
• Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
• Yellow Pansy (Junonia hierta)
• Chocolate Pansy (Junonia iphita)
• Grey Pansy (Junonia atlites)
• Peacock Pansy (Junonia almana)
• Lemon Pansy (Junonia lemonias)
• Great Eggfly (Hypolimnas bolina)
• Danaid Eggfly (Hypolimnas misippus)
• Autumn Leaf (Doleschallia bisaltide)
• Blue Nawab (Polyura schreiber)
• Blue Oakleaf (Kallima horsfieldii)
Location Map and Driving Directions
The park is located in the foot of Kanthavara forest, in between the two famous towns Moodabidri and Karkala, about 42 kms from Mangalore city and 61 kms from Agumbe. Find the driving directions here through this Google map link. (Google Map Link)
https://plus.google.com/103451520302174690506/about?gl=IN&hl=en-IN
Visiting Time & Days
Visitors are welcome every Sunday from 08.30 to 12.30 hrs
Do not miss the slide show and awareness talk by Sammilan Shetty from 08.45 to 09.15hrs followed with an interaction.(Only on Sundays)
Best Months to Visit:June to December
Contact us
Sammilan Shetty’s Butterfly Park
Santhadi House, Butterfly Park Road
Belvai Village, Mangalore
Karnataka-574213
India
Ph: +91-9845993292
Email:ssbutterflypark@gmail.com
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Article in Kannada
