Plant diversification supportive to butterflies<\/p>\n
Herawati \"Mbak Iing\" Soekardi is a lecturer at Lampung
\nUniversity, who studies and captively breeds butterflies in
\nLampung province. She uses these activities to raise, in a very
\npractical way, the awareness of local people with regard to
\nconservation and the importance of maintaining biological
\ndiversity. The Jakarta Post's Oyos Saroso describes aspects of
\nher work in the articles below.<\/p>\n
An extreme diversity of butterflies is a key biological natural
\nresource here, and its economic potential has not yet been
\noptimally utilized, while these colorful winged insects in fact
\nhave great economic value through their appeal to ecotourists, as
\nwell for their ability to pollinate crops.<\/p>\n
Their diversity is determined by the host plants that feed
\nbutterfly larvae, so the presence of such plants becomes a
\nlimiting factor in the life cycles of butterflies.<\/p>\n
Based on butterfly expert Herawati Soekardi's book (2000), the
\nlarvae of several species can live only on certain plants: for
\ninstance, Troides helena only eats the leaves of Aristolochia
\ntagala and Appias libythea only consumes Cleome rutidosperma
\nweeds. Butterflies feed on flower nectar so that they act as
\npollinators.<\/p>\n
The Wan Abdurrahman People's Forest Zone (better known as
\nMount Betung) is a protected forest lying at an average altitude
\nof 1,240 meters. Though famous as a mountain, the zone is more
\nlike a set of large hills. With an area of 22,244 hectares, Mt.
\nBetung is opposite the Lampung Bay. As a source of water for
\ncitizens of Bandarlampung and South Lampung regency, it also
\nprovides much of raw material for a handful of mineral water
\ncompanies.<\/p>\n
In the 1970s, squatters began building huts in the area, which
\nlater turned into permanent dwellings on reclaimed land. In 1997,
\nthe beginning of Indonesia's reform era, squatting further
\nescalated, with almost all big trees cut down.<\/p>\n
The land was changed for growing cash crops, which threatened
\nwildlife in and around Mt. Betung. The rare and beautiful
\nbutterflies, once teeming over the entire area and admired by
\ntourists, began to disappear.<\/p>\n
Realizing the importance of rescuing butterflies, in late 1997
\nHerawati Soekardi initiated a conservation drive for butterflies
\non Mt. Betung. The problem was how to create microhabitats that
\nwould suit the life of butterflies in designated locations so
\nthat they can be conserved.<\/p>\n
With the help of activists of a nature lover foundation,
\nYayasan Sahabat Alam, Herawati built a 4-hectare butterfly park
\nfor conservation at the foot of Mt. Betung, approximately 450
\nmeters above sea level. The secondary forest was originally
\ndominated by such plants as coffee, providing no food for larvae
\nand no blooms, except for weed butterflies (Lycaenidae and
\nHesperiidae families).<\/p>\n
At first, Herawati began habitat enrichment activities by
\nincreasing the vegetative resources needed by butterflies.
\nStarting in June 1999, she grew 25 host plant species totaling
\n200-800 seedlings per species, which were derived from Mt. Betung
\nat an altitude of 700 meters and several other places in Lampung
\nand other Sumatra provinces.<\/p>\n
The nectar-producing flowering plants grown in the trial area
\nwere based on direct field observations of diverse blooms
\nfrequented by butterflies.<\/p>\n
Herawati regularly recorded the butterflies attracted by the
\nplants every two months after the habitat enrichment course,
\nbased on a survey method. The survey route took the form of a
\n500-meter five-path cross-section in the open butterfly park.<\/p>\n
According to the committed conservationist, the diversity of
\nbutterfly species present in the park was observed in two ways.
\nFirst, the species found along designated paths were listed.
\nSecond, each of the host plants was observed intensively for five
\nminutes, noting the gathering of eggs, larvae and pupae.<\/p>\n
\"Eggs and larvae were kept in the laboratory until they became
\nimagoes and then their breeding followed,\" she explained.
\nPhotographs and dried specimens were made to complete
\nspecification data per species. The wing spans of 10 butterflies
\nper species were also measured.<\/p>\n
After the microhabitat improvement by providing the nectar
\nproducing plants, the Gita Persada Butterfly Park was finally
\nvisited by 41 species of butterflies, which also reproduced in
\nthe area. She said that the species' presence depended on several
\nkey facts, especially on suitable host plants for egg laying and
\nflowers for feeding. Generally, the host factor limits the growth
\nof butterfly populations.<\/p>\n
Results of Herawati's field survey and identification indicate
\nthat there are 13 species in the park from the Papilionidae
\nfamily, nine species from the Pieridae family, two from Danaidae,
\n2 species from Satyridae, seven species from Nymphalidae, four
\nspecies from Lycanidae and four others from Hesperiidae<\/p>\n
\"We also noticed consistency between the host plants grown and
\nthe butterflies present and reproducing there, particularly those
\nspecies from the families of Papilionidae, Pieridae, Danaidae and
\nNymphalidae. Butterflies from the families of Satyridae,
\nLycaenidae and Hesperidae in the area still have unidentified
\nhosts, probably weeds and bushes in the same place,\" she
\ncontinued.<\/p>\n
Wing span measurement results show that larger butterflies
\nfound on Mt. Betung are from the species of Troides helena,
\nPapilio memnon and Papilio helenus, all belonging to the family
\nof Papilionidae.<\/p>\n
This family has a large number of species with beautiful
\nwings, mostly with tails popularly called swallowtails. \"Our park
\nis also frequented by swallowtail butterflies of the species of
\nPapilio memnon (female), P. helenus, P. peranthus, P. polytes
\n(female), Pachliopta aristolochiae, Parides coon, P. demoleon and
\nP. nephelus,\" added Herawati.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/plant-diversification-supportive-to-butterflies-1447893297",
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