A field guide on butterflies of Indian sub-continent to be released soon

A new comprehensive field guide on butterflies of the Indian sub-continent would be released soon.

The book has been written by eminent conservationist and naturalist Isaac Kehimkar, who is considered the 'Butterfly Man of India'.

The book 'Field Guide to Indian Butterflies' by Birdwing Publishers, will cover more than 1,000 species and subspecies of butterflies of the Indian region and will include some species which are also found in Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and Bangladesh.

This will a companion publication to the 'Field Guide to Indian Moths,' written by Dr V Shubhalaxmi, often referred to as 'Bug Lady' or 'Moth Lady'.

The book, filled with colour plates, is aimed at helping enthusiasts for easy identification of butterflies in the field.

The size and weight are being kept in mind so that the book could be carried effortlessly along in the field.

A former deputy director of BNHS, Kehimkar is now associated with iNaturewatch Foundation.

In the past, he has also authored comprehensive field guides – 'Common Indian Wildflowers' and the 'Book of Indian Butterflies' and 'Butterflies of India'.

A writer, photographer and communicator, Kehimkar often says, “We are in a butterfly paradise with more than 1,500 species in India itself. With such diverse habitats ranging from the Himalayas to deserts to grasslands, there is so much for a naturalist to explore! India is haven for butterflies, whether it is the Western Ghats-Sahyadri ranges, North East or the Himalayas or for that matter places like the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, there are several endemic species here as well."