Chinese researchers record rare Kaiser-i-Hind butterflies for first time

Researchers from the Daiyunshan National Nature Reserve in southeast China's Fujian Province have recorded butterflies of the golden Kaiser-i-Hind, a butterfly species under first-class state protection, emerging from their chrysalises in the wild.

It marks the first time that the emergence of an insect larva from the egg of the butterfly species was recorded in the wild in the country.

Researchers from the nature reserve's management bureau began to search for eggs of the golden Kaiser-i-Hind butterflies on their host plants in September 2022, and they succeeded in finding some, according to Chen Wenwei, one of the researchers.

Since then, they had recorded the stages from eggs to chrysalises. After that, they monitored over 20 chrysalises of the golden Kaiser-i-Hind butterflies.

In March 2023, they found that the chrysalises started changing color, which meant that the butterflies would emerge from their chrysalises.

The researchers installed cameras and waited there 24 hours a day in an attempt to record the emergence of the golden Kaiser-i-Hind butterflies.

One night in late March, a golden Kaiser-i-Hind butterfly emerged from its chrysalis and expanded its wings. According to the researchers, five female golden Kaiser-i-Hind butterflies got out of their chrysalises, with the rest being male.

On April 26, a researcher found an injured female golden Kaiser-i-Hind butterfly. The researcher took care of it at the reserve's management bureau. It laid six eggs, which were later put on the leaves of host plants for golden Kaiser-i-Hind butterflies. Researchers recorded the egg-laying process of the butterfly, which also marks the first time that Chinese researchers recorded such a process of the butterfly species.

Li Wenzhou, deputy director of the reserve's management bureau, said researchers will continue their studies on the golden Kaiser-i-Hind butterflies at the reserve.

The golden Kaiser-i-Hind butterflies mainly inhabit forests at an altitude of about 1,000 meters in the subtropical zone and the tropical zone, and require high-quality habitat standards. The Daiyunshan National Nature Reserve is an ideal habitat for the butterfly species.

A golden Kaiser-i-Hind butterfly emerges from its chrysalis at the Daiyunshan National Nature Reserve in southeast China's Fujian Province. (Photo/Huang Yaqiong)

A caterpillar of a golden Kaiser-i-Hind butterfly at the Daiyunshan National Nature Reserve in southeast China's Fujian Province. (Photo/Huang Yaqiong)

A golden Kaiser-i-Hind butterfly emerges from its chrysalis at the Daiyunshan National Nature Reserve in southeast China's Fujian Province. (Photo/Huang Yaqiong)

An empty chrysalis shell at the Daiyunshan National Nature Reserve in southeast China's Fujian Province. (Photo/Huang Yaqiong)

Two male golden Kaiser-i-Hind butterflies at the Daiyunshan National Nature Reserve in southeast China's Fujian Province. (Photo/Huang Yaqiong)

A female golden Kaiser-i-Hind butterfly (left) and a male perch on a flowering plant together at the Daiyunshan National Nature Reserve in southeast China's Fujian Province. (Photo/Huang Yaqiong)