Mountain of Dancing Butterflies: Yangmingshan Butterfly Season

Internationally recognized as the "Butterfly Kingdom," approximately 400 species of butterflies have been discovered in Taiwan, with 180 sighted within the grounds of Yangmingshan National Park. Every May to July when the weather gradually turns warmer, the emergence of various types of butterflies can be seen in succession. This is also when butterfly food, a network of nectar plants, enters the flowering season. At this time, the Yangmingshan trail is filled with a diversity of butterflies with the Chestnut Tiger (Parantica sita) making up the majority!

Yen-Po Chen, section manager of Guide Education at Yangmingshan National Park, expressed: Since the beginning of 2003, butterfly-watching events have been held yearly during the butterfly season for visitors to admire the phenomenal wonder of butterflies dancing in the mountains. We also hope to promote butterfly ecology and environmental education through these themed-events during the butterfly season in order for the public to truly experience the importance of ecological and environmental conservation.

Danaus genutia(courtesy of Yangmingshan National Park Headquarters) Parantica sita niphonica(courtesy of Yangmingshan National Park Headquarters)

CHien-Chih Chen, long-time researcher of milkweed butterflies and professor at the Taipei Municipal University of Education, expressed: Taiwan and Japan already have academic teams collaborating in the research, tagging and release of tracking the immigration route of milkweed butterflies. In the past, there have been recorded discoveries of tagged milkweed butterflies, whether they were released in Taiwan or Japan. However, in-depth details regarding their flight route and whether their direction of flight is affected by seasons are still waiting for future domestic or foreign research efforts to be further confirmed.

Professor Chen expressed: Aside from the plan to train young park guides from Hutian, Hushan and Datun elementary schools, this year's "Uncoding the Flight of Milkweed Butterflies" event on June 9 has further invited international Japanese scholars to participate in the tagging and release of the butterflies during the butterfly season. This arrangement also allows for research events and interaction with Hutien Elementary School, and we hope to gain more knowledge regarding the immigration of milkweed butterflies, as well as cultivate the correct attitude and methods towards ecological conservation to the next generation.

Protect the Natural Ecosystem of Butterflies and Promote Environmental Education

Section Manager Chen expressed: From the start of last year, our butterfly season has taken a change to cooperate with the principles of environmental education, choosing to kick-off the season with ecological navigation events, butterfly photography exhibitions and specific ecological exhibitions. Ecological park guides will take visitors on a stroll along the Datun Mountain trail, admiring the butterflies as they dance in between nectar plans and, through the descriptions of our professional park guides, further understand the ecological relationship shared between butterflies and the host nectar plants, as well as the correct information on ecological conservation. Yangmingshan National Park hopes that this event will inspire the public to step into the great outdoors and get to know more about nature. In addition, we also hope to promote and proceed with more environmental education efforts.