Butterflies put spotlight on nature

THE Australian Conservation Foundation is running a Communities for Creatures campaign, and the Central Victorian branch has chosen the Eltham copper butterfly as this year’s local focus. 

The goal of the nationwide campaign is to reach politicians with a message to strengthen the provisions of the Federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999). 

Members of the community are invited to meet this Sunday afternoon for Bendigo for Butterflies, to learn about the butterfly, and the importance of protecting the environment. 

City of Greater Bendigo senior biodiversity officer Mark Hall will address the group, followed by a walk to try to spot the butterfly near Solomon Gully Nature Reserve. 

Ken Rookes is a part of the leadership team for the Central Victorian division of the ACF, and said the insect is restricted to three areas in Victoria – the Wimmera, Eltham, and Bendigo and Castlemaine. 

“We are losing creatures, and creatures are becoming endangered at an increasing rate,” he said.  

“The butterfly has a symbiotic relationship with the notoncus ant. 

“The ants collect the caterpillars as they hatch out of their eggs, take them to their holes and look after them, bring them out at night to feed on the sweet Bursaria plant, and the caterpillars produce a sweet excretion that the ants enjoy. 

“So there’s this mutually beneficial arrangement.” 

Eltham copper butterflies need specific conditions to survive. 

“The butterfly itself would have a broader part in nature as a pollinator of other species, but it’s very much at risk,” said Mr Rookes. 

“You can understand that as habitat disappears, then we’re at risk of losing this particular species. 

“And of course, that’s happening to thousands of plants and insects and other animals because of the way we have exploited and abused the natural world.  

“Insects, of course, aren’t as cuddly as other animals, but the butterflies are representative of creatures that are very involved in the life of the planet.  

“Nature is a source of great wonder.” 

Bendigo for Butterflies will begin at 3pm on Sunday 5 November at College Crescent playground in Flora Hill and will include children’s activities and afternoon tea.