Butterflies in Goa play a key role in nature. They are a significant constituent in the food chain for Birds, Spiders and other predatory insects of Goa’s environment. They also act as pollinators. The age old relationship between the humans and butterflies is today going through a period of great stress as humans by their activities are directly or indirectly destroying the survival of butterflies, sad to say even in beautiful Goa. The existence of butterflies depends on a range of factors including the climate, presence of suitable caterpillar food, suitable adult nectar sources of other food, suitable areas for flight and courtship and in some instances, the presence of certain symbiotic species, notably ants.

Human activities everywhere with Goa not lagging far behind are upsetting and destroying that delicate equilibrium that sustains these factors. These are leading to the decrease in butterfly numbers as well as butterfly diversity. Some of the threats faced by the butterflies in Goa and elsewhere, are habitat devastation, indiscriminate and overuse of pesticides, pollination, vanishing plants, Illegal gathering and trading.

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