Discovery of Rare Paintbrush Swift Butterfly in Himachal Pradesh

October 23, 2023

The rare Paintbrush Swift butterfly, a species uncommon in the western Himalayas, has been sighted and documented for the first time in Himachal Pradesh’s Chamba district. This discovery marks an important milestone for butterfly enthusiasts and conservationists in the region.

Key Findings

The Paintbrush Swift (Baoris farri) belongs to the Hesperiidae family and was spotted and photographed during a field survey conducted under the Wild Bhattiyat Project initiated by the Bhattiyat Forest Range in 2022.
This sighting is significant because the Paintbrush Swift had never been photographed in Himachal Pradesh since its discovery in 1878. It was first described by lepidopterist Frederic Moore over 145 years ago in the eastern Himalayas.
The project has documented 120 butterfly species in Himachal Pradesh, including uncommon species like the Anomalous Nawab, Blank Swift, Tailed Jay, and Siren.
The Paintbrush Swift is typically found in northeast, central, and south India, making its presence rare in Uttarakhand.
The two separated spots in the upper forewing cell distinguish it from closely related species.

Conservation Efforts

The discovery of the Paintbrush Swift in Himachal Pradesh underscores the importance of habitat conservation.
Urgent conservation efforts are needed, including the establishment of butterfly parks and conservation reserves, butterfly rearing or breeding centers, and native host plant species plantation.
Conservation initiatives should focus on high-altitude butterfly species facing threats from habitat destruction, with a significant decline in their numbers in recent years.
Creating awareness about the importance of butterflies through community participation is crucial for their conservation.

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