Butterfly park created in Kaikondrahalli lake premises

A new butterfly park is growing in Kaikondrahalli lake in East Bengaluru, thanks to the efforts of local residents and volunteers.

Residents and lake activists set the plan in motion in 2011, when the lake was rejuvenated.

“We had set up the park a few years ago, but the park became futile since we focused on the other aspects of the lake infrastructure and development,” lake steward Dechamma CS said.

Lack of maintenance meant that the park could not attract the butterflies earlier, but Dechamma said it now has 25 species of the colourful insect.

Two months ago, volunteers planted more than 125 plant saplings of over 25 species. “We asked walkers and residents to get water from home and water the plants. We had good rains in the last two weeks, which help the burgeoning plants,” said a volunteer.

Urban ecologist Manali Kolhapure visited the park a few weeks ago and asked volunteers to carry out changes. “Initially they had planted the saplings in a shady area which did not attract much butterflies,” Manali said. “Now that they planted the saplings in a sunny area, it’d attract more butterflies.”

She also suggested them to grow butterfly-wooing plants like Ivory wood, Star cluster, Ornamental Lantana, Tubular Hibiscus and many more.