Rare butterfly, tiny bird, new sheen of park in Srirangam

Thiruchirapalli

The park at Melur in Srirangam was inaugurated with just 38 varieties of butterflies in 2013 and the number had increased gradually. Presently, the officials had spotted the 111st butterfly variety, which is identified as a common shot silver line. It is widely visible in dry lands.

According to experts, the common shot silver line butterflies are known for their upper side brown, with a purplish reflection in certain lights. Fore wing with a somewhat triangular-shaped orange patch in the upper disc, variable in size, with two short blackish bars in it, the inner the shorter, where the orange space runs sufficiently inwards there is another bar outwardly oblique right across its inner side. Hind wing with the abdominal space broadly rufous-grey, the anal patch dull greyish-orange, with two somewhat obscure blackish small spots; tails black, tipped with white, their bases orange.

P Mohan Prasath, founder of Act For Butterflies said that this type of butterfly used to have a false head with the base of the hind wing in order to confuse the predator’s judgment.

Similarly, officials located a rare small pratincole bird at the park. This bird has short legs, long pointed wings and a short tail. Its short bill is an adaptation to aerial feeding.