India's first "State Butterfly"
After a meeting with State Wildlife Board, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has officially declared Blue Mormon species as State butterfly as part of State symbols. With this, Maharashtra became the first state in the country to have a State butterfly.
There are 225 species of butterflies in Maharashtra, Around 1200 species in India and approximately 15,000 to 20,000 species of butterflies in the world. Many American states have their own state butterflies. They also have state insects.
Blue Mormon
- Scientific Name: Papilio polymnestor.
- Found mainly in Sri Lanka and India
- In India, sightings are common in Mahrashtra's Western Ghats, South India and coastal belts.
- It can be easily identified due to the bright blue spots on its glossy black wings.
Facts of Butterflies
- Monarch butterflies journey from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, a distance of about 2,000 miles, and return to the north again in the spring.
- Butterfly is an insect. Study of insects is called Entomology.
- Butterflies belong to Lepidoptera order.
- Most butterflies feed on nectar from flowers.
- Butterflies taste with their feet.
Other Symbols of Maharashtra
State Animal - Giant Squirrel (Shekru)
State Bird - Yellow footed green pigeon (Hariyal)
State Tree - Mango
State Flower - Lagerststroemia (Jarul)
#Tags