Orange Oakleaf to be Declared the State Butterfly of Madhya Pradesh
After having a state animal and a state bird, Madhya Pradesh is now preparing to announce its state butterfly. The government is set to declare the beautiful Orange Oakleaf as the State Butterfly of Madhya Pradesh. The Forest Headquarters has already submitted a formal proposal to the state government, including detailed information about the butterfly's unique characteristics.
Special Features of the Orange Oakleaf
The most remarkable feature of this butterfly is its ability to appear exactly like a dry leaf when it closes its wings. From a distance, it becomes nearly impossible to distinguish whether it is a butterfly or a fallen leaf. Due to this camouflage, it is often called the “Dead Leaf Butterfly.”
Madhya Pradesh is home to about 175 species of butterflies, but the Orange Oakleaf is considered one of the most extraordinary. This butterfly is commonly found in the forests of Amarkantak and the Satpura mountain range, including Pachmarhi. Beyond Madhya Pradesh, it is also found in several northeastern states of India.
According to Chief Wildlife Warden Subhranjan Sen, the proposal to designate the Orange Oakleaf as the State Butterfly has already been submitted. Once notified, it will help raise awareness about butterfly conservation in the state.
States That Have Already Declared a State Butterfly
With this announcement, Madhya Pradesh will become the tenth state in India to have an official state butterfly. The states that have already declared one include:
- Uttarakhand – Common Peacock
- Tripura – Common Birdwing
- Kerala – Malabar Banded Peacock
- Tamil Nadu – Tamil Yeoman
- Maharashtra – Blue Mormon
- Karnataka – Southern Birdwing
- Arunachal Pradesh – Kaiser-i-Hind
- Goa – Malabar Tree-nymph
- Jammu & Kashmir – Blue Pansy
- Sikkim – Blue Duke
A New Identity for Madhya Pradesh
Once officially declared, the Orange Oakleaf will add a new identity to Madhya Pradesh. The state is already recognized as the Cheetah State, Tiger State, Leopard State, and Gharial State. Now, it will soon have its own State Butterfly as well.
The state symbols of Madhya Pradesh currently include:
- State Animal: Barasingha
- State Tree: Banyan
- State Bird: Paradise Flycatcher (Doodhraj)
- State Flower: Lily