Beauty in Small Sizes

We started a butterfly survey in February 2017, using eight (8) Charaxes bait trap. The aim of this survey is to determine the butterfly species that could be found on the farm and possibly serve as a tool to monitor changes in the various habitats of the RENNAJJ Fish Farm as result of the current management practices. A fruit bait of banana meshed and fermented in palm wine was used.

The Charaxes bait trap

From February to October 2017, we had trapped and identified sixteen (16) species of butterflies. The cream-bordered Charaxes Charaxes epijasius being the species with the highest abundance as compare to other species.

Dorsal view of the Cream-bordered Charaxes (Charaxes epijasius)

The other species observed include: African emigrant (Catopsilia florella), Bush charaxes (Charaxes achaemenes atalantica), Silvery demon charaxes (Charaxes catachrous), Pin-washed demon charaxes (Charaxes plantroui), Pearl charaxes (Charaxes varanes), Common Tiger (Danaus chrysippus chrysippus), Grass Yellow (Eurema spp), Guineafowl (Hamanumida daedalus), False Tiger (Hypolimnas misippus), Golden Pansy (Junonia chorimene), Dark blue pansy (Junonia oenone oenone), Savannah dotted border (Mylothris aburi), Common dotted border (Mylothris chloris chloris), Citrus Swallowtail (Papilio demodocus) and Darker Commodore (Precis antilope).

Below are pictures of some of the butterfly species found on the fish farm:

Grass Yellow

Pearl Charaxes

Pink-washed demon charaxes

Guineafowl Butterfly

Silvery demon Charaxes

Common dotted border

Indeed, beauty exists in all of nature even in the smallest ones. In these butterflies, we see God’s creativity and use of colours to create diversity. For example consider the White Sapphire (see feature image), having an immaculate white colouration with a red spot. This only can be thought and done by a divine artist creating beauty in small sizes.