Swallowtail Butterflies

09 Nov 2024 12:48:46 pm

Tags : Swallowtail Butterflies

Topic: Biodiversity

Why in the news?

A new study has revealed that the overexploitation of 25 medicinally valuable host plant species is endangering the swallowtail butterflies in the forest habitats of a region in Assam, commonly known as the “citrus belt of the world.”

Source: The Hindu

About Swallowtail Butterflies:

They are large, colorful butterflies with forked hindwings resembling a swallow’s tail.
They belong to the family Papilionidae.
They include species like Blue-striped mime, Bhutan glory, and Kaiser-i-Hind.
They are found globally, with 69 species in India’s Northeast.
Some species are globally endangered.
Threats
- Overexploitation of host plants including citrus plants (medicinal use).
- Illegal tree felling and deforestation.
- Illegal cattle farming in protected areas.
- Tea cultivation and pesticide use near habitats.
- Habitat destruction due to shrinking forest cover.
India hosts 77 of the 573 swallowtail butterfly species recorded across the world so far.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature designated the northeastern part of the country, where 69 species have been recorded, a ‘swallowtail-rich zone’ under the Swallowtail Conservation Action Plan