Butterflies are truly nature’s little wonders. They bring joy just being around. Their colourful wings, the way they fly and how they sit on flowers sometimes it feels like as if you are looking to a painting. In India we are lucky to have a wide variety of butterflies. From big cities to small villages, forest top garden you can spot them everywhere. Butterflies remind us of change, growth and beauty. They start life as a small egg, become a caterpillar, which turn into a cocoon. Finally they emerge as a beautiful creature, Isn’t that amazing?
Butterflies are not just pretty but also they are also important to nature. They help in pollination and also tell us if the environment is healthy. You will get around 1500 species of butterflies in India. The 10 common Butterflies we will now discuss are easiest to spot. So now let’s checkout top 10 most common butterflies in India.
1. Common Mormon
This butterfly is very commonly seen especially in south India. It has black wings with white spots and a little red near the tail. You will often find Common Mormon flying round lemon and curry leaf plants.
2. Common Crow
Now don’t be fooled by the name. The common crow butterfly is much prettier than the name it got I mean the crow bird. It has dark brown wings with spots along the edge. It is slow and peaceful in its flight. You will find it in gardens, parks and even roadside bushes. As it has bitter taste big birds don’t eat them.
3. Common Jezebel
This is one of the most beautiful butterflies in India. It has white wings with black lines and red yellow shades on the bottom side. When it flies it looks like as if a flower floating in the air. You will often see it near flowering trees and shrubs. It loves nectar and flies from one flower to other happily.
4. Common Emigrant
This butterfly looks like a leaf when it wings are closed. It’s light green or yellow in colour and very quick in its flight. The Common Emigrant is often seen flying in groups mainly after he monsoon. They are known to migrate in large numbers from one area to other, and for this reason they are called Emigrant.
5. Plain Tiger
Plain tiger is very easy to spot and even easier to recognize. It has orange wings with black borders and white spots. It is also called Indian Monarch as it looks a lot like the monarch butterfly found in America. This butterfly is not afraid of humans and may even sit near you if you stay still. It is commonly found in gardens mainly where milkweed plants grow.
6. Common leopard butterfly
This butterfly is bright orange with black spots just like a leopard. That’s where it gets its name. It is often found in open areas, grassy fields, and forests. When it sits it keeps its wings open showing off its beautiful pattern. It is very active in sunny days.
7. Common Grass Yellow
As the name says this butterfly is yellow in colour and it is seen almost all throughout the year. It is small and fast but looks very pretty. It is mostly seen in gardens, fields, and grassy patches. It likes to fly close to the ground and rests often with its wings closed. Sometimes it looks like a tiny yellow leaf when its wings are closed.
8. Common Pierrot
This is a tiny black and white butterfly. It has zebra like patterns on its wings. These are mostly found in flowering shrubs and hedges. It may not be very colourful but it is charming in its own way. You will often see them sitting on flowers or even mud-puddling.
9. Blue Tiger
It is a calm and very beautiful butterfly. It has dark wings with bluish white markings. It is a slow flier and often seen flying in pairs or in small groups. During certain seasons, they even migrate in large numbers. You can easily spot them in parks, gardens and forest areas.
10. Striped Tiger
This one looks like the plain tiger but has more visible black and white strips across the wings. It is a close cousin of the plain tiger butterfly we already listed above in our list. They fly smoothly and sit for long on flowers enjoying the nectar. It is a treat to watch them slowly move their wings while resting.
Conclusion
Now that you know these butterflies, next time you go to a park or even your garden, try to look around. You might just see one of these colour visitors flying by. Observing these beautiful tiny creatures is not only relaxing but also makes you more connected to nature. Many people now turning their gardens into butterfly friendly spaces. All is trying to plant more flower plants like marigold, hibiscus, and curry leaves. If you provide food and shelter they will surely visit your garden and educate your kids not to harm butterflies.
