Rare High-Altitude Butterfly, Dusted Apollo, Sighted in Himachal Pradesh

1: Introduction to Dusted Apollo Butterfly

- The Dusted Apollo (Parnassius stenosemus) is a rare high-altitude butterfly, typically found within the inner Himalayas.

- The species was first discovered in 1890 and is observed to reside between altitudes of 3,500 to 4,800 metres.

- The distribution range of this butterfly species extends from Ladakh to West Nepal.

- As a member of the snow Apollo genus (Parnassius) it belongs to the swallowtail family.

2: Dusted Apollo Butterfly vs Ladakh Banded Apollo

- The Dusted Apollo species shares a close resemblance with another butterfly species, the Ladakh Banded Apollo (Parnnasius stoliczkanus).

- The distinguishing characteristic lies in the discal band (band on a butterfly's wing). For dusted Apollo, this band is complete and extends from the costa to vein one, whereas for the Ladakh Banded Apollo, the discal band is incomplete, extending only up to vein four.

3: Rare Sighting in Himachal Pradesh

- The Dusted Apollo butterfly was recently sighted and photographed for the first time in Chamba, Himachal Pradesh.

- This event marks a significant milestone in the field of biodiversity for the region.

- Significant as it is a rare phenomenon, as this high-altitude butterfly is not often sighted in these parts of Himachal Pradesh.

4: Other Rare Butterflies

- Alongside the Dusted Apollo, another rare butterfly species, the Regal Apollo (Parnnasius charltonius), was also sighted.

- The Regal Apollo species is a protected species under Schedule II of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

5: Importance of the Apollo Butterfly Species

- The sighting of the Dusted Apollo butterfly in Chamba, Himachal Pradesh, adds to the rich biodiversity of the region.

- Both the Dusted Apollo and the Regal Apollo play an essential role in maintaining the balance in the ecosystem.

- Being high-altitude butterflies, their presence or absence can be significant indicators of climatic changes.