Butterfly conservatory in Goa

birds · Jul 20th, 2009, 13:21

Those interested in butterflies may want to visit The Butterfly conservatory in Goa.

The place is run by an NGO called the Butterfly Conservatory of Goa and is located at Pisgal near Priol which is very close to the Tropical Spice Plantation.

Unfortunately, their website is not opening: http://www.butterflyconservatoryofgoa .com/

http://wikimapia.org/10625731/Butter...rvatory-Of-Goa
http://wikimapia.org/6179447/Mystic-Woods-Campsite

P.S. Moderators I am never sure whether I should post these kind of things on the Wildlife forum or on the State/City fora.

snonymous · Jul 20th, 2009, 18:53

Thanks for the information, I would love to see it if I come to Goa.

jituyadav · Jul 20th, 2009, 20:08

Such steps are required across India. They are such a beautiful sight but almost extinct in cities.

snonymous · Jul 20th, 2009, 20:40

In Bombay, the Maharashtra Nature Park [formerly Mahim NP] along the Mithi river near Dharavi has also developed a natural butterfly park near the main entrance gate. It is a treat to behold from September to November.

I understand there is a new butterfly park at Bangalore's Bannerghata NP. Im sure there must be some in the North East, as they have several commercial butterfly farms in that region.

Every city should develop butterfly parks in all the public parks and gardens. It is so easy to do in the tropics.

birds · Jul 21st, 2009, 13:11

Happy to read the positive comments

.

wanderlust.dunham · Oct 23rd, 2009, 17:18

First the mood breakers : The Taxi was a rip off ( they all are anywhere in the world , I guess ) . Tropical Spice Plantation was closed , so we went to Sahakari Spice Farms .Found it crowded and badly managed ! Rs. 300 just to enter ( saw the Taxi guy pocketing some of that money at the counter . Commission? ). Another Rs. 1000 for elephant ( $ tips ??? ). Disgusted tried to find somethin else in Ponda since I had travelled almost 3o miles from the hotel. Remembered this post long time ago . Found it . Glad that I remembered . Had a great time ; Saw butterflies , a roof garden , lots of birds , made some earthfriendly friends , some fresh passion fruit juice , ; And didn't get charged a single pence ( of course I dropped in a small contribution - not from Scotland , you see ! ). Thanks !
You must visit this place . And Yes ! the website opens.

birds · Oct 23rd, 2009, 18:35

Good to hear you had a good time and happy to see their website is up and running.

If it is nature you are interested there are lots of places to visit, try the bird island.

birds · Oct 31st, 2009, 17:53

I am extremely sorry to post this so late here on the forum but better late than never.

The Butterfly Conservatory of Goa has organised a very innovative program titled "Breakfast With Butterflies" on Sunday November 1st from 9 am to 11 am.

More details on their website in the events section
http://www.butterflyconservatoryofgoa .com/. They say it is especially for children but everybody is welcome and can stay as long as they want

Please attend it and spread the word. Such programs are organised on regular basis, this one being their second attempt to promote the appreciation for butterflies amongst general public.

jituyadav · Oct 31st, 2009, 19:00

Breakfast with Butterflies sounds innovative and a good idea to attract people to the cause. I have read some more news reports about butterfly conservation in Delhi and other states. Hope all such initiatives become a success.

snonymous · Nov 1st, 2009, 00:12

"Breakfast with Butterflies" morning walks at Mumbai's SGNP are organised on a regular basis by the BNHS in season.

In Goa, with even more species of butterflies to see, it must be a truly magical experience.

pravman · Nov 4th, 2009, 17:06

We were in Goa (near the Bhagwan Mahavir Sanctuary) and the habitat was wonderful. We spotted many rare and endemic birds , not to mention the butterfiles. We spotted atleast 15 species of uncommon butterfiles, that too on a cloudy day. The highlight was the southern birdwing.

snonymous · Nov 5th, 2009, 15:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by pravman

We were in Goa (near the Bhagwan Mahavir Sanctuary) and the habitat was wonderful. We spotted many rare and endemic birds , not to mention the butterfiles. We spotted atleast 15 species of uncommon butterfiles, that too on a cloudy day. The highlight was the southern birdwing.

Sounds lovely. Do you have any more information on this sanctuary - where to stay, how much, how to go etc.? I love butterflies esp. the southern birdwing and would be interested in visiting the Mahavir sanctuary if I come to Goa.

birds · Nov 12th, 2009, 02:08

The below was written by a friend.

Breakfast with Butterflies-2.

The Butterfly conservatory of Goa, at Pisgal, Ponda is a place tucked away in the vast Keri Hills, a place butterflies and Rohit Heblekar call it their home.

This program was different from the last one not in the nature of the program but because it started with breakfast first for me, Amit and Hazrat thanks to Mrs Joyti Heblekar.

The guest and members assembled in the Conservatories newly built Reception Centre, Rohit with his usual zeal and passion explained to the guest the importance of butterflies in the ecosystem and the structure of the conservatory, which involves garden which has a variety of host plants which acts as breeding places for the butterflies and the feeder and the flowering plants which sustain the caterpillars and butterflies in the adult stages. The butterflies does not get all the nutrients from the nectar alone so they soak the deficient nutrients from damp soil this activity is called mud puddling.

Rohit then brought out some caterpillars and a pupa of a Common crow butterfly, the pupa was shinny golden in colour. It looked like a newly made gold pendant remarked one of the ladies, none of us had ever seen anything like it before.Rohit also announced the opening of the stream which is 25 meters long, arguable it could qualify for the longest man made stream in Goa.

The participants were divided into two groups one led by Rohit and the other led by me. The butterfly observation began in earnest, the Tamil lacewing the grand was first to make an appearance, the pair of Malabar Banded Peacocks courtship dance stole everybody's heart, Southern Birdwing the Mr. Big floated effortlessly over our heads. Amit and I took up the challenge of identifying the small butterflies of the Blues and skipper families, we were lucky to get some great shots of a Quaker, a Cerulean, Plains Cupid and a Small Branded Swift.

Rohit and his wards had equally good sightings of the winged beauties. At 10.30 am Rohit called for an intermission and served snacks. He popped a bottle of Coke and poured me a drink as if it were Champagne, his sweaty face shining with satisfaction of a man who has worked hard and the sweet fruits of his hard work now enjoyed by everybody.

After a short break began round two, the time was about 10.45 am by this time the conservatory was flooded with sunlight and was alive with butterflies the Tailed Jays, Dark Wanders, Laskars, Grey Pansy, Red Helen, Common Jezebel, Tamil Lacewing, Common Sailors, Common Rose, Striped Tiger, Glassy Tiger, Spotted Grass Yellow, Common Emigrant, Chocolate Pansy, Malabar Banded Peacocks and more were busy feeding on nectar the display was mesmerizing.

Then the royalty made an appearance the Red Spot Duke, the Grey Count, a Cruiser, and finally the Great Black Rajah. The tally was 39 species and the total count was 88 butterflies.

The participants assembled at the reception centre for the closing of the program, Rohit thanked everybody with a promise to upgrade soon. Not that anybody could find any fault with Rohit and his families hospitality, the participant showered praise on his laudable effort all evident in the visitors book.

These winged beauties have pleased the dwellers of this earth long before man came into existence but looks like we have not served them well, by the indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides and deforestation the very existence of butterflies now stands threatened. We members of the Butterfly Conservatory of Goa through such sensitization programs wish to get the message across.

Jagdish Katkar.

birds · Nov 12th, 2009, 02:10

WormTrails .......with Butterflies and Parag Rangnekar

It is the month of November and misty cool mornings are here to stay. Earthworm ecostore kicks off WormTrails…their monthly thematic walks to observe, understand and appreciate nature and its myriad wonders.

The trails have been designed for adults and children alike who would love to learn a bit more about the plant and animal life they have always noticed and formed many curious questions about in their mind.

We all have always appreciated butterflies and know that they are important pollinators of plants and thus play an important role in our environment. but there is more….

What is a 'host' plant?, how does a butterfly find its way to one? what species of butterflies are common and which ones are not? how does a butterfly protect itself from its predators?how do we affect butterfly populations.

Earthworm invites you to look beyond the fluttering fragile beauty of a butterfly to understand its tenacious role in ecology.

Parag Rangnekar is the author of the widely popular field guide of Butterflies of Goa and also the state co-coordinator of the Goa Bird Conservation Network. He is also known amongst academic as well as conservation circles as a committed naturalist and wildlife photographer and has been instrumental in popularizing the hobby of butterfly watching in the state of Goa.

Parag will lead a trail that would start at Earthworm, the eco store at 8.00 am sharp and would culminate at 10.00 am after a walk in and around Green valley, a haven for butterflies. A talk and power point presentation on the Butterflies of Goa will also be taken for the participants at Earthworm from 10.30 am to 12.00 pm.

Date: 22nd November, 2009

Participation fee would be Rs. 100/-

Please register prior to the event either by email at earthwormgoa@gmail.com or call us 08322410871.

We would request all participants to arrrive 10 minutes before time for the walk.Do bring along your breakfast, Earthworm would provide tea and its famous kokum juice.

wanderlust.dunham · Nov 17th, 2009, 11:43

Looks like an interesting program . How far would this from Baga ?
Some of my friends had gone to the conservatory last week . The photos they showed me made the place look so different ! They were also shown some 30 species in the one hour they were there. Need to go there again before flying back to UK.
Infact it would be a good idea to hold your programme there.

Jul 20th, 2009, 13:21	#1
birds Adopt a stray Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Goa Posts: 1,062	Butterfly conservatory in Goa Those interested in butterflies may want to visit The Butterfly conservatory in Goa. The place is run by an NGO called the Butterfly Conservatory of Goa and is located at Pisgal near Priol which is very close to the Tropical Spice Plantation. Unfortunately, their website is not opening: http://www.butterflyconservatoryofgoa .com/ http://wikimapia.org/10625731/Butter...rvatory-Of-Goa http://wikimapia.org/6179447/Mystic-Woods-Campsite P.S. Moderators I am never sure whether I should post these kind of things on the Wildlife forum or on the State/City fora. __________________ Of the estimated 500 million dogs in the world, approximately 75% are strays, of which about 25 million live in India.

Jul 20th, 2009, 18:53	#2
snonymous xxx Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,749	Thanks for the information, I would love to see it if I come to Goa. __________________ Some of My Tall Tales at http://www.travelpod.com/members/indianature My Flickr photos at http://www.flickr.com/groups/snonymous/

Jul 20th, 2009, 20:08	#3
jituyadav Humble servant of the self Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Delhi Posts: 613	Such steps are required across India. They are such a beautiful sight but almost extinct in cities. __________________ I started with nothing and I still have most of it!

Oct 23rd, 2009, 17:18	#6
wanderlust.dunham Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: UK Posts: 3	Butterfly conservatory First the mood breakers : The Taxi was a rip off ( they all are anywhere in the world , I guess ) . Tropical Spice Plantation was closed , so we went to Sahakari Spice Farms .Found it crowded and badly managed ! Rs. 300 just to enter ( saw the Taxi guy pocketing some of that money at the counter . Commission? ). Another Rs. 1000 for elephant ( $ tips ??? ). Disgusted tried to find somethin else in Ponda since I had travelled almost 3o miles from the hotel. Remembered this post long time ago . Found it . Glad that I remembered . Had a great time ; Saw butterflies , a roof garden , lots of birds , made some earthfriendly friends , some fresh passion fruit juice , ; And didn't get charged a single pence ( of course I dropped in a small contribution - not from Scotland , you see ! ). Thanks ! You must visit this place . And Yes ! the website opens.

Nov 12th, 2009, 02:08	#13
birds Adopt a stray Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Goa Posts: 1,062	Review of Breakfast with Butterflies The below was written by a friend. Breakfast with Butterflies-2. The Butterfly conservatory of Goa, at Pisgal, Ponda is a place tucked away in the vast Keri Hills, a place butterflies and Rohit Heblekar call it their home. This program was different from the last one not in the nature of the program but because it started with breakfast first for me, Amit and Hazrat thanks to Mrs Joyti Heblekar. The guest and members assembled in the Conservatories newly built Reception Centre, Rohit with his usual zeal and passion explained to the guest the importance of butterflies in the ecosystem and the structure of the conservatory, which involves garden which has a variety of host plants which acts as breeding places for the butterflies and the feeder and the flowering plants which sustain the caterpillars and butterflies in the adult stages. The butterflies does not get all the nutrients from the nectar alone so they soak the deficient nutrients from damp soil this activity is called mud puddling. Rohit then brought out some caterpillars and a pupa of a Common crow butterfly, the pupa was shinny golden in colour. It looked like a newly made gold pendant remarked one of the ladies, none of us had ever seen anything like it before.Rohit also announced the opening of the stream which is 25 meters long, arguable it could qualify for the longest man made stream in Goa. The participants were divided into two groups one led by Rohit and the other led by me. The butterfly observation began in earnest, the Tamil lacewing the grand was first to make an appearance, the pair of Malabar Banded Peacocks courtship dance stole everybody's heart, Southern Birdwing the Mr. Big floated effortlessly over our heads. Amit and I took up the challenge of identifying the small butterflies of the Blues and skipper families, we were lucky to get some great shots of a Quaker, a Cerulean, Plains Cupid and a Small Branded Swift. Rohit and his wards had equally good sightings of the winged beauties. At 10.30 am Rohit called for an intermission and served snacks. He popped a bottle of Coke and poured me a drink as if it were Champagne, his sweaty face shining with satisfaction of a man who has worked hard and the sweet fruits of his hard work now enjoyed by everybody. After a short break began round two, the time was about 10.45 am by this time the conservatory was flooded with sunlight and was alive with butterflies the Tailed Jays, Dark Wanders, Laskars, Grey Pansy, Red Helen, Common Jezebel, Tamil Lacewing, Common Sailors, Common Rose, Striped Tiger, Glassy Tiger, Spotted Grass Yellow, Common Emigrant, Chocolate Pansy, Malabar Banded Peacocks and more were busy feeding on nectar the display was mesmerizing. Then the royalty made an appearance the Red Spot Duke, the Grey Count, a Cruiser, and finally the Great Black Rajah. The tally was 39 species and the total count was 88 butterflies. The participants assembled at the reception centre for the closing of the program, Rohit thanked everybody with a promise to upgrade soon. Not that anybody could find any fault with Rohit and his families hospitality, the participant showered praise on his laudable effort all evident in the visitors book. These winged beauties have pleased the dwellers of this earth long before man came into existence but looks like we have not served them well, by the indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides and deforestation the very existence of butterflies now stands threatened. We members of the Butterfly Conservatory of Goa through such sensitization programs wish to get the message across. Jagdish Katkar.

Jul 20th, 2009, 20:40	#4
snonymous xxx Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,749	In Bombay, the Maharashtra Nature Park [formerly Mahim NP] along the Mithi river near Dharavi has also developed a natural butterfly park near the main entrance gate. It is a treat to behold from September to November. I understand there is a new butterfly park at Bangalore's Bannerghata NP. Im sure there must be some in the North East, as they have several commercial butterfly farms in that region. Every city should develop butterfly parks in all the public parks and gardens. It is so easy to do in the tropics.

Jul 21st, 2009, 13:11	#5
birds Adopt a stray Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Goa Posts: 1,062	Happy to read the positive comments .

Oct 23rd, 2009, 18:35	#7
birds Adopt a stray Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Goa Posts: 1,062	Good to hear you had a good time and happy to see their website is up and running. If it is nature you are interested there are lots of places to visit, try the bird island.

Oct 31st, 2009, 17:53	#8
birds Adopt a stray Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Goa Posts: 1,062	I am extremely sorry to post this so late here on the forum but better late than never. The Butterfly Conservatory of Goa has organised a very innovative program titled "Breakfast With Butterflies" on Sunday November 1st from 9 am to 11 am. More details on their website in the events section http://www.butterflyconservatoryofgoa .com/. They say it is especially for children but everybody is welcome and can stay as long as they want Please attend it and spread the word. Such programs are organised on regular basis, this one being their second attempt to promote the appreciation for butterflies amongst general public.

Oct 31st, 2009, 19:00	#9
jituyadav Humble servant of the self Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Delhi Posts: 613	Breakfast with Butterflies sounds innovative and a good idea to attract people to the cause. I have read some more news reports about butterfly conservation in Delhi and other states. Hope all such initiatives become a success.

Nov 1st, 2009, 00:12	#10
snonymous xxx Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,749	"Breakfast with Butterflies" morning walks at Mumbai's SGNP are organised on a regular basis by the BNHS in season. In Goa, with even more species of butterflies to see, it must be a truly magical experience.

Nov 4th, 2009, 17:06	#11
pravman Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Chennai Posts: 76	We were in Goa (near the Bhagwan Mahavir Sanctuary) and the habitat was wonderful. We spotted many rare and endemic birds , not to mention the butterfiles. We spotted atleast 15 species of uncommon butterfiles, that too on a cloudy day. The highlight was the southern birdwing.

Nov 12th, 2009, 02:10	#14
birds Adopt a stray Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Goa Posts: 1,062	More butterflies... WormTrails .......with Butterflies and Parag Rangnekar It is the month of November and misty cool mornings are here to stay. Earthworm ecostore kicks off WormTrails…their monthly thematic walks to observe, understand and appreciate nature and its myriad wonders. The trails have been designed for adults and children alike who would love to learn a bit more about the plant and animal life they have always noticed and formed many curious questions about in their mind. We all have always appreciated butterflies and know that they are important pollinators of plants and thus play an important role in our environment. but there is more…. What is a 'host' plant?, how does a butterfly find its way to one? what species of butterflies are common and which ones are not? how does a butterfly protect itself from its predators?how do we affect butterfly populations. Earthworm invites you to look beyond the fluttering fragile beauty of a butterfly to understand its tenacious role in ecology. Parag Rangnekar is the author of the widely popular field guide of Butterflies of Goa and also the state co-coordinator of the Goa Bird Conservation Network. He is also known amongst academic as well as conservation circles as a committed naturalist and wildlife photographer and has been instrumental in popularizing the hobby of butterfly watching in the state of Goa. Parag will lead a trail that would start at Earthworm, the eco store at 8.00 am sharp and would culminate at 10.00 am after a walk in and around Green valley, a haven for butterflies. A talk and power point presentation on the Butterflies of Goa will also be taken for the participants at Earthworm from 10.30 am to 12.00 pm. Date: 22nd November, 2009 Participation fee would be Rs. 100/- Please register prior to the event either by email at earthwormgoa@gmail.com or call us 08322410871. We would request all participants to arrrive 10 minutes before time for the walk.Do bring along your breakfast, Earthworm would provide tea and its famous kokum juice.

Nov 17th, 2009, 11:43	#15
wanderlust.dunham Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: UK Posts: 3	Looks like an interesting program . How far would this from Baga ? Some of my friends had gone to the conservatory last week . The photos they showed me made the place look so different ! They were also shown some 30 species in the one hour they were there. Need to go there again before flying back to UK. Infact it would be a good idea to hold your programme there.

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