Biology of Bhutanitis ludlowi Gabriel, 1942 (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhutan

Abstract

It was in 1933–34 that the first discovery of Bhutanitis ludlowi was made by plant explorer Frank Ludlow and George Sheriff at Tobrang, upper part of Trashiyangtse valley, Bhutan. It was rediscovered after a lapse of 76 years in 2009 by Bhutanese forester Karma Wangdi. Bhutanitis ludlowi is native to Trashiyangtse and occurs in few pockets of areas in northeastern part of Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary (BWS). There has been no report which described complete life cycle of Bhutanitis ludlowi till date. Listed in CITES appendix II, the endemic species is also the first butterfly species to be included under Schedule I of FNCRR of Bhutan, making it a totally protected species in Bhutan. For the first time a complete life cycle stages of Bhutanitis ludlowi was recorded at BWS on the host plant Aristolochia griffithii Hook.f. & Thomson ex Duch in ex situ environment. A greenhouse with dimensions of 12 X 5 X 3 m was constructed and a thriving habitat was created artificially through establishment of Aristolochia griffithii nursery inside the greenhouse. The eggs were brought down to the new environment at an elevation of 1,752 m from their natural habitat (elevation of 2,200 m). The eggs were incubated in the greenhouse with host plants in ex-situ conditions. Eggs incubated inside the greenhouse were examined at eight hour intervals daily (twice a day: 0900 h and 1700 h) to record physical changes in eggs such as colours. Bhutanitis ludlowi is univoltine brood where the life cycle completes in 365–367 days with egg hatching (Average = 16 days; SD = 2), larva (Avg. of 174 days SD 3), pupa (174 days, SD 1.53)) and adults emerged after 366 days. Predators of Bhutanitis ludlowi include spider, wasps, praying mantis, snails, and ants. Bhutanitis ludlowi protects themselves by avoiding predators through mechanisms like odour, camouflaged colorations, and excretion of poisons. Advocacy programs on its conservation importance and formation of community conservation support groups to protect its habitats is seen as one of the priority activities in the identified range of Bhutanitis ludlowi.