KUWAIT: Butterflies are one of the most beautiful, most gentle, calm and peaceful flying insects, and their charm lies in the beauty of their delicate multi-colored and beautiful wings painted with exquisite geometric shapes and their wings are covered with flat delicate scales overlapping among themselves. The Kuwait and Gulf environment has been inhabited by several types of butterflies, such as the Tiger butterfly, Lady versicolor, Thorny, Spotted and Rocky, which are characterized by their charming colors, as if it were a traveling bird exhibition showing small paintings that move between the flowers with lightness and Grace.

About butterflies and their season in Kuwait, the head of the Kuwait environmental lens team, Rashid Al-Hajji, told the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that butterflies are one of the kindest flying insects and are active during the spring season. Wherever the insects appear, they brought surprise, joy and happiness, especially to children who innocently pursue them among the flowers. Al-Haji added that butterflies adore the sun’s rays and enjoy multiple and beautiful colors, and their wings are covered with flat micro scales that overlap with each other.

He explained that these scales are the source of the wonderful colors and formations found in the wings and contain pigments and mineral coloring materials that give the colors their charm when sunlight is reflected. Al-Hajji pointed out the presence of a large number of overlapping colors in a wonderful way on the wing of one butterfly and harmonious geometric shapes as if they were accurately drawn and matched on the wings. He stated that the wings of the butterfly are transparent at the beginning of their formation, then they quickly change the colors of their legs. Butterfly doesn’t have a mouth - indicating that most butterflies go to rest with their wings erect on top of the body and most live only a week or two, but there are other species that may live about 18 months.

 

Regarding the most famous species of butterflies in the Kuwait environment and the Arabian Peninsula region, Al-Haji said that the (Tiger) butterfly is the most widespread and common and in line with the conditions of the environment. He said that the Tiger butterfly is characterized by an interesting lifestyle. “Its larva feeds on milkweed containing cardiac toxin, which is transmitted to the cells, which provides it with protection from birds and lizards.”

He added that the Spotted and Rocky butterflies are found in abundance in the Arabian Gulf region and are characterized by their dancing and attractive ways of flying among plants, while the violet butterfly is considered one of the most attractive butterflies migrating through the regions of the Arabian Peninsula and is known for its love of the sun and its presence in spacious grassy areas.

He pointed out that one of the most common species is the lady versicolor butterfly, which is also called the Thorn butterfly due to its larval food consisting of a type of plants called (tooth thorns) and is characterized by its speed and strength in flight, which makes it difficult to hunt. The lemon butterfly is one of the most famous butterflies in the Gulf region and is known for feeding on the leaves of citrus trees, while its larva is harmful to plants. He explained that the large Arabian salmon butterfly is a constantly traveling butterfly that abounds during the summer in the Arabian Peninsula and inhabits desert areas. It is fast flying, which makes it difficult to catch it.

Butterflies beautify Kuwait with multi-colored wings
Butterflies beautify Kuwait with multi-colored wings
Butterflies beautify Kuwait with multi-colored wings

He pointed out that all the data indicate and confirm the decreasing numbers of these fluffy creatures, which are threatened with extinction year after year, pointing out that some of their species have disappeared completely while some are rarely found due to urban projects and the widespread use of pesticides and the disappearance of natural habitats. For his part, a member of the Kuwaiti environmental Lens team, Mohammed Al-Saleh, said in a similar statement that the arrival of spring in the country earlier this year helped the emergence of butterflies in abundance, as they can be seen in various areas, especially gardens and farms.

Al-Saleh explained that the good rains this year came early and instinctively during the past October and November, which accelerated the blooming of wild flowers in an exceptional way. Wild plants and herbs flourished in most regions of the country, and flowers also spread. He stated that early spring flowering provides food for butterflies. They suck the nectar through a long proboscis, through which they are able to extract the liquid substance in the flower core. - KUNA