Dusted Apollo butterfly

Environment and Ecology Biodiversity

07-Feb-24

Context: Dusted Apollo, a rare high-altitude butterfly was recently sighted and photographed for the first time in Himachal Pradesh near Manimahesh Lake in Chamba.

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.