Butterflies of Bombay

Every year it seems like Mumbairsquos streets get more congested its highrises growing taller and its already sparse green spaces becoming even smaller Which is why it might be surprising to realise that the city is home to over 150 species of butterfly when countries like the United Kingdom have only 59 ldquoMumbai is blessed with butterfliesrdquo says naturalist Rizwan Mithawala who works as a writer and editor at the Wildlife Conservation Trust Mithawala has been observing and photographing butterflies in the city for over 10 years but when the pandemic struck and leaving the house was not an option he had to get creative and bring the butterflies to his doorstepRizwan Mithawala PIC COURTESYMANDAR SHEVADESetting up a butterfly garden is relatively simple says Mithawala adding that you need two main types of plantsmdashnectar plants for adult butterflies to feed on and larval host plants ldquoSpecific butterflies are attracted to specific larval host plants so if you want to see a Common Mormon one of the cityrsquos most sighted butterflies you should plant a kadi patta or a citrus plantrdquo says Mithawala who has also helped compile a guide to some of the places where you can sight these winged beautiesWadi BunderA former dumping ground located at Wadi Bunder has been converted into a butterfly garden by the Central Railway Once a site of disrepair it now boasts a jet water dispenser and a wide variety of plants that assist a butterfly through its entire life span and provide nectar too The 2000 sq ft space boasts over 400 varieties of flowers that Railway officials say will help facilitate and care for butterflies throughout their entire lifespanMaharashtra Nature ParkMaharashtra Nature Park also known as Mahim Nature Park is another reliable place to see butterflies The Nature Park has had butterfly sightings for the past few years after the planting of nectar plants at the entrance on both sides Butterflies can be spotted yearround in the city but Rizwan suggests that the current monsoon climate is the most fertile for sightings of catapillars Look out for species like the Red Pierrot Common Mormon and Tawny Coster among othersOvalekar WadiA twoacre plot of land full of nectoring and larval plants Ovalekar Butterfly Park in Thane is host to over 70 different species of butterfly The infographics and models showing the four different stages of a butterflies life are great to help kids understand the metamorphosis these creatures undergoSanjay Gandhi National ParkYou can find over 150 different species of butterflies within the National Park and Mithawala credits the site for much of the cityrsquos ecological diversity Exploring the forest from Borivli Aarey and Thane will all yield results but Mithawala recommends the Nagla Block section for the greatest diversity of insects In addition to butterflies look out for caterpillars in the monsoon seasonmdashthey can be found on plants at eyelevel and belowHanging GardensThis popular South Bombay garden boasts magnificent views of the Arabian Sea but equally picturesque are the butterflies that populate the area Be sure to go to the Pherozeshah Mehta Gardens and not Kamala Nehru Park to ensure a better chance of spotting butterflies Set out in the morningmdashbut not too early butterflies require some sunlight before they become active and come out only after the birdsBNHS Conservation Education CentreThe Bombay Natural History Societyrsquos Conservation Education Centre is a uniquely privileged location to spot butterflies Mithawala explains that this is because while it is bordering the Sanjay Gandhi National Park efforts have also been made to plant additional nectar and larval host plants This means the butterflies already present in the forest all flock to this particular location