JUNONIA ORITHYA

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

 

05/XI/2025

 

The heading sounds too zoo logical, but it has a story behind it. Here goes……..

 

Sometimes we miss out on many things in nature when we are in a hurry. For example, people have their eyes glued to their mobile phones both while driving and even when taking a morning walk.

 

With earphones firmly stuck in the ears, they seem to be cut off from what nature has to provide in terms of visual and sound effects.

 

Even when they talk to you, they are listening to something which is distracting them from being present with you. They give the impression to be detached as if what they are listening to or watching things that are more important than the personal touch. I might be wrong in my observation, but that is how I feel it is.

 

At times, to ignore you, they appear immersed in the mobile screen or what the blue tooth is hammering in their ears. People look at the road stumble, hit low hanging branches, even ram into static cars engrossed in their indulgence. Maybe this is the new normal.

 

My story is a little different.

 

I was rearranging my Adenium plants on our roof top garden. With the winters setting in, they need full sunlight. Many of them are flowering. So, keeping them in a cluster was the aim of the exercise. My old army trunks are coming to good use. I was in a hurry to get back downstairs for some other work.

 

This is also the season for their leaves to fall. A normal pre dormancy phenomenon they say. The leaves once yellow or brown can be removed effortlessly. Just a little shake is needed to remove them. To keep the plant neat and tidy and rather green, all the yellow leaves are plucked off and sent to the compost bin.

 

The rate of leaves turning yellow is increasing as the morning and evening temperature is falling. Every plant will have at least one or two such leaves everyday. Mind you, the green ones are not easy to remove.

 

These spent leaves do not ooze any liquid or sap when removed from the stem, unlike the green ones. Therefore, the plant catching a fungal infection due to their removal is minimal. If the stem gets scared or cut, it is better to apply an anti-fungal powder because dew in the morning can be dangerous for the plant. It might rot without showing any sign.

 

Be that as it may. It was time to do this leaf removal ritual. As I moved from pot to pot quickly, I noticed a brown, rather blackish leaf stuck to one stem. It was a little awkward as the leaf yellows first. If left untouched, then only it browns of blackens before falling off on its own. Generally, the leaf  falls off in the yellow stage.

 

A tiny butterfly sat on one of its flowers. One had noticed some others hiding in between the leaves a day earlier. Were they laying eggs or were they just resting? In any case they were welcome. Since the caterpillars have left, moths and butterflies are finding refuge in the dense foliage of the adenium leaves.

 

As I shoved my hand to pluck that leaf, it came to life and fluttered. It was a “Junonia orithya” (Blue Pansy butterfly). It just took my breath away. With greyish-bluish-purplish wings with small orange dots all along the edges of its wings, it looked stunning. It was smaller in size than a normal butterfly.

 

I felt so sorry to have disturbed it. Had I been careful and observant, I wouldn’t have disturbed her. She flew to the floor and sat momentarily, spreading its wings for me to see the spectacle it had on display. Mesmerising is mild word to describe it.

 

I had my camera but she gave me no chance to take a photo. I did not mind. She must have got scared and scampered for life. Hope it would return in the evening to the same plant soon.

 

I did not disturb the pot setup. In case it decided to come back, she should not find anything unusual or out of place. This time I shall be on a lookout.

 

Once she poses for a photograph for me, it would be my ultimate catch.

 

That brings me to a question that do they return to the same place from where they had been once disturbed? I wonder!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND

©® NOEL ELLIS