Dusted Apollo Butterfly, a rare high-altitude species, was recently sighted and photographed near Manimahesh Lake in Himachal Pradesh.
About Dusted Apollo (Parnassius stenosemus):
- It is a rare, distinctive, and high-altitude butterfly, first discovered in 1890, and closely resembles the Ladakh Banded Apollo.
- Appearance: It has a complete discal band on the upper forewing that extends from costa to the first vein.
- Unique features: Its wing patterns including a discal band on the upper forewing and a narrow dark marginal band on the hind wings.
- The dark marginal band on the hind wings is much narrower compared to the Ladakh Banded Apollo.
- Geographical Distribution: Its range extends from Ladakh to West Nepal.
- It is found in the inner Himalayas and flies at altitudes between 3,500 to 4,800 meters.
- Threats: Increased risk of poaching, and loss of habitat due to human intervention.
- Conservation: Community awareness about poaching and the establishment of butterfly parks and conservation reserves are suggested measures for their protection.
- Five out of the 11 Apollo species recorded in Himachal Pradesh are declared as Scheduled species.
- Other Observations: Another rare species, the Regal Apollo, protected under Schedule II of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, was also photographed at Manimahesh.
About Manimahesh Lake:
- The Manimahesh or Dal Lake is a high-altitude lake in the Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas, in the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh.
- This lake is situated at an altitude of 13,000 feet at the foot of the Kailash peak (18,564 ft).
- The religious significance of this lake is next to that of the Lake Manasarovar in Tibet.
- ‘Manimahesh Yatra’ is a highly revered pilgrimage trek undertaken during the Hindu month of Bhadon (August-September), on the eighth day of the New Moon.
- Lord Shiva is the presiding deity of this fair / Jatra, who is believed to reside in Mt. Kailash.
- Pilgrims take a holy dip in this lake and two other water bodies, Gauri Kund and Shiva Kroti located close to the lake.
Ref: Source
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