LIME BUTTERFLY

LIME BUTTERFLY

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

20/VIII/2024

I remember that we were taught the life cycle of a butterfly in school. From laying her eggs, to transforming into a caterpillar, to changing into a pupa and finally emerging out of its shell to become a new butterfly. This must be in class V or VI.

Today, having retired, that cycle of life still fascinates most of us. There was a time we used to see hundreds of butterflies in the wild. We would catch them for fun. As children we would apply too much pressure to hold their wings.

For fear that the butterfly would fly away we would apply more pressure than usual, resulting in a white powdery thing sticking to our thumb and fingers. Besides, the butterfly would be incapable of flying thereafter. We would feel sad but that butterfly would go into our textbooks to be preserved.

Chasing butterflies would be a game for us kids. We would experiment by tying a silken thread to one of the legs of the butterfly, like we used to do to wasps and bees to see how far she would go, then run after her till she got exhausted or we got fed up.

We did not know that butterflies laid eggs until we were taught. It used to be a self learning process where we were allowed to explore nature in our own way.

In our home, we used to have these bamboo sticks with a wire ring at the end. Mom would stitch a cloth around it and it was used to pluck fruits like mango, guava, peaches etc. We would carry them away during our butterfly chase. Butterflies got alerted and flew away the moment they saw our shadow.

We used to cover the butterflies with that pouch and collect them in a transparent plastic container. We used to shove a few flowers in, thinking that they would feel at home. Not realising that they would be under trauma of sorts in that enclosed space.

Recently, I spotted a small greyish and spotted caterpillar chomping on one of the lime plant leaves. I was aware that they like citrus leaves. I looked forward to seeing their life cycle unfold once again after ages.

That small caterpillar grew and turned into a big green caterpillar in a few days. It ate many leaves but so be it.

Then this caterpillar disappeared. A bird could have eaten it was my apprehension. A search was launched to find it, but that went in vain.

This morning as I was watering the plant, a spotted butterfly emerged from the plant. I knew that she would have stuck the pupa somewhere in the plant. Another search was done and the empty shell was found stuck at the lowest branch where one had skipped checking.

This one is called the “Lime Butterfly” and it was true to its name. Have you seen this one? I wonder!!!!!!

JAI HIND