BUTTERFLY WATCHING IN UGANDA

Most butterfly species in Uganda are day flying so they regularly attract attention. The diverse patterns formed by their brightly colored wings and their erratic yet graceful flight have made butterfly watching an interesting tourist activity.

Some migrate over long distances, across a number of regions. Culturally, butterflies are a popular design and decoration in the visual and literary arts. Their Scales on the wing have  good  colours. They feed primarily on nectar from flowers thus many of the species are common in the tropical rainforests of Uganda, such as Mabira, Bwindi, Mgahinga and Kibale Forests. By deriving nourishment from pollen, tree sap, rotting fruit, dung, and dissolved minerals in wet sand or dirt Butterflies are important as pollinators for some species of plants although in general they do not carry as much pollen load as the birds. They are however capable of moving pollen over greater distances.

Butterfly watching is easily enjoyed by tourists who are bird watchers because some butterflies share a habitat with some bird species.

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