I embarked on my digital photography adventure by shooting butterflies that were around the area I live. In the past three years, I have noticed the disappearance of many butterfly species so much so I rarely photograph them these days. It is alarming if one notices the cut back of the secondary forest. Some one likened it to slash and burn as the intensity of the clearing usually leaves the large area bare.The lovely butterflies I have here are all bred in a butterfly park. Though they are lovely to watch, I wish they were all free and gracing their natural habitat.
These should be common butterflies here but they aren't common anymore. These Great Mormon (male and female) were among the swallowtails that are beautiful and showy butterflies full of grace as the fleet around.
The Lime Butterfly another from the swallowtail family that I seldom see in my garden.
The Malay Lacewing, also not seen in over a year. 
I went all the way to Auckland to photograph these lovely butterflies. Will butterfly parks be the only place to see butterflies in the future?
3 comments:
There is a significant drop in local butterfly population in the past 12 months or so.
Perhaps, the (monsoon) storms have caused a dip as the survival rate of caterpillar could be affected. (They could be "drown" when their air holes are wet).
Perhaps, the increased activities in the (forest) reserves have also affected their activities. I once read about the "islandisation" (or something like that?) when the insects/animals dare not venture out of their locality. Thus forming local habitat islands.
Perhaps, our fairies has done their parts to warn us about the environmental damages with their own lives.
Nice butterflies!!
The decline has been over the past two years. 2009 was a wake up for me as there are no butterflies in the areas where I first started my digital photography and built up my butterfly photo collection.
It is a warning indeed. If the Copenhagen climate change conference is anything to go by. We are likely to see more species under threat and more ex-situ conservation as habitats are destroyed.
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