There is a beautiful poem by an English poet and writer, Rose Fyleman, noted for her works for children. It goes like this:

The Butterfly

The trouble with a butterfly
Is that it flies too high.
I know because I tried to catch
One dancing in the sky.
The trouble with a butterfly
Is that it flies too fast.
I chased it but it slipped away
And fluttered quickly past.
But though I couldn’t catch it,
It left me something sweet.
I’ll never chase a butterfly
With running, pounding feet.
For when I stopped and rested,
And watched it in the air,
I learned how much more lovely
It was just floating there.

Butterflies have inspired countless works of art, literature and folklore, enriching human culture and heritage.

Recently, I had the wonderful opportunity to release three beautiful butterflies from a ventilated container, a glass bottle with a wide mouth and a lid punctuated with small air holes. I gently set them free onto flowers and plants, ensuring they had access to nectar. It was a beautiful and memorable experience.

This chance came about thanks to a friend, in whose office I had an intriguing encounter two weeks prior to it. I met ‘The Butterfly Lady’ Shereen Abdullah who had arrived to check the health of the pupae (chrysalises) resting in the containers on her table. Shereen Abdullah was armed with small slender sticks, tape and leaves from lemon plants. I watched in fascination as the ‘doctor’ performed her delicate operation.

Raising caterpillars to butterflies can be an educational and rewarding activity for children. Almost 20 years ago, when Shereen Abdullah’s eldest son, a toddler then, showed interest in nature and insects, she wanted to show him the butterfly’s lifecycle in real life. After searching her garden and plant nurseries, she found no butterflies. Questioning gardeners in nurseries revealed that pesticides were killing the insects. Determined, she decided to increase butterfly numbers herself.

Shereen breeds and raises butterflies, and monitors them constantly. She feeds them, protects them from ants, and maintains the right temperature. She keeps her garden stocked with specific plants for caterpillars, and inspects the bottles for releasing newly-emerged butterflies.

There is a popular term known as the Butterfly Effect, which is all about consequences. It describes how very small things can have great impacts, which means that we can’t just ignore the little things. Shereen held her first awareness session on April 22, 2009 (Earth Day), and has since continued them in schools across Pakistan. In 2016, she introduced Butterfly Clubs to further this goal. These clubs engage enthusiastic students, teaching them about butterflies’ life cycles, significance in ecosystems, and conservation methods.

A conservatory has been established at the CMS School in Karachi, where students trained under her guidance, serve as caretakers. This initiative ensures a sustainable future for these vital creatures.

Pakistan is home to a rich diversity of butterfly species due to its varied climates and habitats, ranging from coastal areas to mountainous regions. Some common butterflies you can find in Pakistan include:

a. The lime butterfly, which is black with yellow spots and a red spot on the hindwings, and its host is the citrus plants.

b. Common mormon is black with white spots and bands. Its host is also the citrus plants.

c. Plain tiger is orange with black and white spots. It’s similar to the monarch butterfly, but smaller. The host plants are the milkweeds, known for their milky sap.

d. Common leopard is orange with black spots all over the wings. The flacourtia trees are its host plants.

e. Common grass yellow is of a bright yellow colour with black margins. The leguminous plants are its host. These include lentils (daal), beans, peas, chickpeas, and peanuts.

Butterflies are not only beautiful, but they also play a crucial role in pollination and maintaining the health of ecosystems. Observing them can be a delightful experience for nature enthusiasts and provides insight into the rich biodiversity of Pakistan. As butterflies feed on nectar from flowers, they transfer pollen from one flower to another, facilitating plant reproduction. This helps in the production of fruits, seeds and ensuring the survival of plant species. Many plants depend on butterflies for pollination.

Butterflies and their larvae (caterpillars) are a vital food source for many animals, including birds, spiders, lizards and small mammals. They form an essential part of the food web, supporting the diets of various predators and helping to maintain ecological balance. The presence and diversity of butterfly species in an area can indicate the health of an ecosystem. Because they are sensitive to changes in the environment, such as pollution and habitat destruction, they serve as bio-indicators.

Butterflies are often used in scientific research to study genetics, evolution and the impacts of environmental changes. Their relatively short life cycles and observable behaviours make them excellent subjects for various biological studies.

Here are steps and tips to help you protect caterpillars and successfully raise them to become butterflies.

1. Find caterpillars or eggs

Identify host plants: Learn about the specific plants that local butterfly species use to lay their eggs. Common plants include citrus trees for lime butterflies and milkweed for plain tigers.

Collecting safely: Gently search for caterpillars or butterfly eggs on the undersides of leaves. Use a small, soft brush to transfer them to a container if needed.

2. Set up a caterpillar habitat

Container: Use a cle­ar, ventilated container such as a large jar, plastic container, or a mesh butterfly habitat. Ensure there are small holes for airflow.

Leafy branches: Place fresh branches with the host plant leaves inside the container. Change the leaves regularly to keep them fresh.

Base layer: Line the bottom of the container with paper towels or a thin layer of soil to collect waste and make cleaning easier.

3. Feeding and care

Fresh leaves: Provide fresh host plant leaves daily. Caterpillars eat a lot, so make sure they have a constant supply of fresh food.

Cleaning: Clean the container regularly to remove waste and prevent mould.

4. Monitor growth

Stages of development: Observe the caterpillar as it grows and moults several times. The different stages are egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis) and adult butterfly.

Handling: Minimise handling to reduce stress and injury to the caterpillars.

5. Creating a pupation site

Pupa stage: When the caterpillar is ready to pupate, it will stop eating and find a suitable spot to form a chrysalis. Ensure there are sticks or netting for it to attach to.

Quiet and safe environment: Keep the container in a quiet, undisturbed place to allow the chrysalis to develop.

6. Emergence of the butterfly

Waiting period: Depending on the species, it may take a few days to a few weeks for the butterfly to emerge. Keep the habitat in a safe place during this period.

Observation: When the butterfly emerges, let it rest and expand its wings. This can take several hours.

7. Releasing the butterfly

Warm, sunny day: Choose a warm, sunny day to release the butterfly. Take the container outside and open it to let the butterfly fly away.

Natural habitat: Release it near flowers and plants to ensure it has access to nectar and a suitable environment. — Photos by Shereen Abdullah and Dr Anila Naeem

Published in Dawn, Young World, July 27th, 2024