Butterflies are among the most beautiful and impressive insects to see in the whole world and the biggest number of them are brightly colored. Butterfly-Watching-Safari, Nature-Walk-Safari Kibale National Park, Bwindi National Park, Budongo National Park
Uganda has approximately 33% of the overall Afro-tropical species (over 1200 butterfly species have been recorded here.) This however doesn’t include the subspecies which are over 70. There are four different butterfly families we have here in Uganda and these include:
231 species Hesperiidae, 31 species of Papilionidae, 99 species of Pieridae, 447 species Nymphalidae as well as 479 species of Lycaenidae
Among all the species here, 35 of all the species alleged to be endemic to Uganda, and any of them belong to the Lycaenidae Family that contributes 80% of the endemics recorded here in Uganda. Thanks to the great beauty of butterflies, the country receives millions of visitors from all parts of the world irrespectively of their religion, color or race that travel to see these impressive fly jewel.
This word butterfly has an interesting origin As its name was derived from Europe’s yellow brimstone butterfly which was initially seen during the early spring / “butter” season.
Actually back in ancient civilizations it was perceived that butterflies were souls or little angels since it was imagined that the souls of dead people ascend to heavens as beautiful colored butterflies. When you travel across the world, you will find different prehistoric caves with fresco paintings and pottery depicting the importance of butters back in the early days. Irrespective of one’s origin or even age, many look at butterflies as very friendly creatures.
Research estimate that there are approximately 150,000 species of butterflies plus moths which some butterflies being as small as less than just one inch in total size. The blue pygmy (Brephidium exilis), is the smallest butterfly species in the world living in California.
Many people end at the breathtaking beauty of these beautiful butterflies and are unaware of the great role these colored creatures play in our environment. Below we have highlighted the benefits of these butterflies.
Best Places to See Butterflies in Uganda
While on your Safari in Uganda there are a number of places where you can see the beautiful colored butterflies and these include the different national parks such as Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Kibale National Park, as well as during the forest nature walks (like in Budongo Forest) which offer you a closer encounter to Mother Nature.
Common Butterfly Species in Uganda
Papilio antimachus parva Jackson, 1956, Papilio zalmoxis Hewitson, 1864, Papilio nireus nireus Linnaeus, 1758, Papilio nireus lyaeus Doubleday, 1845, Papilio nireus pseudonireus Felder & Felder, 1865, Papilio charopus montuosus Joicey & Talbot, 1927, Graphium antheus (Cramer, 1779), Graphium policenes (Cramer, 1775), Graphium junodi (Trimen, 1893), Graphium colonna (Ward, 1873), Graphium gudenusi (Rebel, 1911), Eurema brigitta (Stoll, [1780]), Eurema mandarinula (Holland, 1892), Eurema hapale (Mabille, 1882), Eurema hecabe solifera (Butler, 1875), Colotis antevippe zera (Lucas, 1852), Colotis aurigineus (Butler, 1883), Colotis aurora evarne (Klug, 1829), Colotis auxo (Lucas, 1852).
Importance of Butterflies
Today Butterflies are ranked among the foundation species that enable several other smaller insect species to thrive as well as reproduce within an ecosystem.
Butterflies are second to bees as pollinators of flowering plants and many of our cash crops which helps boast our agricultural production and maintain our economic stand.
When monitoring the overall environmental health, these Butterflies perform as indicators Play an important role in food chains and food webs.
Butterflies serve as bio-controls of weeds.
Because Butterflies are extremely sensitive to any form of pollution they are being used as bio-indicators when detecting the levels of pollution.
Interesting Facts worth knowing about Butterflies
Generally, butterflies have an average lifetime (lifespan) of 20 days to 40 days. It is just a few butterfly species that will live to see the 9th month.
Butterflies can be seen anywhere across the world except on the Antarctica continent.
Amazingly, Butterflies are only able to see three colors and these are: yellow, red and green.
The majority of butterfly species have dark colors, and this is so to enable them absorb heat from their surroundings.
Caterpillars spend majority of their time feeding on leaves which they chew at using their strong mandibles / jaws. The very first meal of a caterpillar is its very own egg-shell. its just a couple of caterpillars that actually eat meat for instance the larva of the Harvester butterfly feeds on the woolly aphids.
Butterflies don’t possess chewing mouth-parts. They have a tubular straw-like appendage referred to as proboscis that enables them to gently sip nectar.
They “smell” using their antennae and use their feet to taste
Butterflies are among the few living creatures on the planet that can orient themselves in longitude as well as latitude
The Male butterflies entice and attract the females through releasing a pheromone chemical or scent from their abdomens.
Butterflies are very particular when selecting the leaves on which they lay their eggs.
Butterflies are also extremely selective when picking which leaves to feed on.
When folded, the wings of the butterfly are less colorful which offers great camouflage from their predators.
These are also the only known insects that have scales which scales when in light reflect very beautiful colors.
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