Here Are The 5 Gorgeous State Butterflies Of India

Butterflies have never failed to win our hearts. With their fluttering flights and dazzling colors, these tiny beings symbolize love, joy, and hope and continue to inspire the romantic spirit and creative mind. No wonder some states of India adopted these animals as their state symbols. Here are six such Indian states that have chosen a butterfly as their state emblem:

Blue Mormon - Maharashtra

A beautiful blue mormon butterfly. Image credit: Lakshmi Narayanan K via Wikimedia Commons

The impressive size of the Papilio polymnestor makes it one of India's most sought-after butterflies on butterfly-viewing trips. No wonder that in 2015, the state of Maharashtra chose it as the state butterfly. The species is endemic to Sri Lanka and southern India. Its velvet, black wings with bright blue spots make it a photographer's delight. 

Southern Birdwing/Sahyadri Birdwing - Karnataka

An elegant Southern Birdwing. Image credit: Uajith, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

In 2017, Karnataka became India's second state to declare a state butterfly. With the state housing at least 318 species of butterflies, the choice was not easy, but the elegant swallowtail Troides minos emerged victorious in the end as its colors match those of the Kannada flag. This species has a wingspan of 140 to 190 mm making it one of India's largest butterflies. It is a nectar-feeder in the adult stage and has a powerful flight. It can fly as high as 30 to 40 feet in the air and travel long distances of several kilometers in a single non-stop flight.

Common Peacock - Uttarakhand

Common peacock. Image credit: Sandipoutsider via Wikimedia Commons

In 2018, Uttarakhand declared the spectacular Papilio biano its state butterfly. Not only is this species charismatic, but it is also endemic to the Himalayas, found primarily in the Himalayan foothills. Its larval host plant is the highly valuable Timur which has important medicinal properties. The common peacock is also a swallowtail butterfly that finds mention in a book by a British author named Wynter Blyth.

Malabar Banded Peacock/Buddha Mayuri Butterfly - Kerala

Malabar banded peacock. Image credit: Vinayaraj via Wikimedia Commons

The name of this butterfly says it all. It is a delight to look at the Papilio buddha, a swallowtail with black, blue, and green bands in its wings dazzling in the sun. It is also endemic to the Western Ghats region and is known for its swift and elegant flight. No wonder the state of Kerala proudly announced it as the state butterfly in 2018. 

Tamil Yeoman - Tamil Nadu

A pretty Tamil yeoman butterfly. Image credit: BrijeshPookkottur via Wikimedia Commons

In 2019, Tamil Nadu became the fifth state to choose a state butterfly - the Cirrochroa thais. Unlike the other four states, all of which chose swallowtail butterflies with big sizes and bold patterns, Tamil Nadu's state butterfly was a member of the Nymphalidae family. Members of this family are not particularly famous for their looks, but who said looks are everything? The name of the butterfly itself is enough to guarantee its selection. With the word Tamil in its name and yeoman meaning warrior, it definitely represents the spirit of the state known for the powerful kingdoms that ruled the region in the past. Also, this species is well-distributed through the state, allowing its people to have a glimpse of their state butterfly relatively easily.

Malabar Tree Nymph - Goa

A Malabar tree nymph. Image credit: Sphoortik via Wikimedia Commons

This gorgeous butterfly, the Idea malabarica, was declared the state butterfly of Goa as recently as 2021 during the fifth Goa Bird Festival at Chorao. It is a large nymphalid species endemic to the Western Ghats region of India. It can be spotted flying in forest clearings and above the forest canopy in riparian forests along water bodies. This butterfly appears pretty with its white wings with black markings and a wingspan of 120-154 mm. It also has a unique flight pattern where it glides in open spaces and suddenly stops to start hovering instead.