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Butterfly ecology

Our garden is home to several butterfly species and the number of resident species is increasing each season. Apart from recording butterfly species, we also study their host plants and their interaction with other insects such as Ants and Wasps. Butterfly behavior such as courtship, oviposition, and puddling is also an important part of our studies.

Giant redeye butterfly

Pollinator profiling

The vast variety of cultivated and wildflowers present in our garden all around the year, brings several insects. Up to twenty different species of bees and wasps can be found here accompanied by bugs, fruit flies and  birds. Attracted by pollen and nectar they help in fertilization while moving from one flower to another.

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Dragonflies

Each year we celebrate "National Dragonfly day on the 18th of August and continue the festivities for the next two months. The grassland and presence of a lake in our garden attracts close to 14 species of Odonata. Dragonflies are insectivores and help in control of mosquito larvae  keeping our surroundings disease free.

A dragonfly basking in the morning

Moth mysteries

Moths form the other half of Lepidoptera and we are fortunate to have close to thirty different genera of them visiting our locality. Moths act both as pollinators and defoliators in the environment. 

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Wildflowers

Our lush green grass lawns shelter a large collection of wildflowers, many of them being used in traditional medicine. Wildflowers act as host/nectar plants for grass butterfly species and provide the perfect resting spots for moths in early sunlight. Approximately 40 species of these native/introduced plants have been documented so far. 

Wildflowers

Gardening club

We believe in giving back to Nature, and the only way we can achieve this is by making our agricultural practices more nature friendly. We encourage and support citizens participation in home gardening, composting and natural fertilizer preparation. The leaves and litter from our garden is recycled in a vermicompost plant present in-house.

Plant saplings
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