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Our fondness of butterflies, the most glamorous creatures of the animal world,
is age-long.
Butterflies, with their fragile wings and radiant colors, have inspired poets
and artists of many
cultures. What is behind our fascination? In Northern Europe, butterflies appear in spring
proclaiming
the advent of warmth and sun after a harsh winter, joyfully welcomed as a symbol
of new life. We
also admire the ultimate freedom they enjoy roaming in a Garden of Eden between
brilliant blossoms
and lush foliage. We are astonished at the complete transformation from an
unsightly caterpillar to a
stunning beauty. And we are taken by the fact that they feed on nectar, the
mythical drink of the gods.
Our rainforests boast of a thousand species of butterflies. The acclaimed
naturalist Arthur
Russell Wallace and the founder of Singapore, Sir Stamford Raffles, are the most
notable
explorers of the Malaysian butterfly world. It was Wallace who discovered one of
the most
beautiful examples when he was exploring the jungles of Borneo back in 1855. He
named it
The Rajah Brooke Birdwing in honor of the ruler of Sarawak at that time, the
first British Raja
James Brooke. The Rajah Brooke Birdwing has a truly notable wingspan of up to 18
cm and is
today one of the national symbols of Malaysia.
Visitors to Malaysia will have many opportunities to observe these beautiful
insects. They
can be found in any one of the butterfly farms in the country like the Kuala
Lumpur and Penang
butterfly farms. Or a bit more strenuous but even more rewarding - on a trek
through Malaysia's
rainforests. Butterflies are most active during the early morning and late
afternoon. They are
attracted to all forms of moisture, like puddles on the roadside, riverbanks and
wet leaves. Many
butterflies are also drawn to animal matters, especially urine, which is why
animal's waterholes
are a good spot for butterfly watching.
Scientifically, butterflies belong to the family of Lepidoptera, which is from
the Greek words
lepis (scale) and pteron (wing). Lepidopterae are divided into butterflies and
moths. A general
rule to distinguish the former from the latter is that butterflies usually fly
during the day whereas
moths are nocturnal. Another easy identification guide is the way they rest:
Generally, moths
rest with their wings opened in a horizontal position, while butterflies fold
both wings together in
a closed upright position. Biologists have identified many families and
subfamilies of butterflies.
Some of the most striking and spectacular species belong to the 'Papilionidae'
or Swallowtails.
They are characterized through their long pointed forewings and swallow-like
tails from their
hind wings.
One of the amazing characteristics of butterflies is their life cycle. In their
final form as an
adult butterfly, they only live for two to three weeks, but have had to go
through three different,
lengthy stages to appear in their full beauty. It starts with the female laying
tiny roundish eggs
on a food plant; every species seems to have their favorite plants. Within
several days these
eggs hatch into caterpillars, equipped with powerful jaws to feed on green
leaves - not to the delight of many gardeners. The caterpillar grows at a rapid rate and will
cast its skin several
times before it reaches the stage when it turns itself into a pupa.
The metamorphosis of this greedy wormlike creature from an apparently dormant -
cocooned stage into a magnificent butterfly after weeks or months is one of
nature's greatest
moments. |
