So beautiful! There are so many "queens of butterflies" here. Why are golden-spotted swallowtail butterflies frequently found in Jiangxi?

Why is the "Queen of Butterflies" Swallowtail frequently found in Jiangxi? --------------------

Source: Jiangxi News Client

Jiangxi News Client (Guo Zhengyan) In the vast natural world, there is a rare butterfly known as the "Queen of Butterflies" - the Golden Swallowtail. This butterfly is famous for its unique golden spots and elegant posture. However, due to climate change, human activities and other factors, the population of the Golden Swallowtail has dropped sharply, making it one of the focuses of global biodiversity conservation.

In recent years, the activities of the golden-spotted swallowtail butterfly have frequently appeared in the Jinggangshan and Jiulianshan protected areas in Jiangxi. Why is the golden-spotted swallowtail butterfly, the "queen of butterflies", frequently found in Jiangxi? What is the uniqueness of the golden-spotted swallowtail butterfly? With these questions, the reporter of Jiangxi News Client interviewed Xia Bin, the chairman of the Jiangxi Zoological Society, the vice dean (in charge) of the School of Life Sciences of Nanchang University, the second-level professor and doctoral supervisor, to hear what Professor Xia has to say.

Question 1: What is unique about the Golden Swallowtail Butterfly?

As an insect of the genus Papilionidae of the order Papilionidae, the golden-spotted swallowtail butterfly is the only first-class national protected animal among all insects. It is distributed in Jiangxi, Guangdong, Fujian, Guangxi and other places in China. The wings of the golden-spotted swallowtail butterfly are mainly black, bilaterally symmetrical, and flash a faint green light under the light. Its life goes through four stages: egg stage, larval stage, pupa stage, and adult stage. The adult is larger in size and has a light and elegant flying posture. Talking about the habitat of this "queen of butterflies", Xia Bin, vice dean of the School of Life Sciences of Nanchang University, said: "The golden-spotted swallowtail butterfly has particularly high requirements for the environment. It usually lives in native broad-leaved forests at an altitude of 1,000 meters. Its host plants are mainly magnoliaceae plants. When it is an adult, it likes to pollinate on azaleas." Therefore, in Jiangxi, the main activity areas of the golden-spotted swallowtail butterfly are mainly distributed in the Jinggangshan and Jiulianshan protected areas with high mountains and dense forests.

▲Pupa stage of the golden-spotted swallowtail butterfly

▲The golden-spotted swallowtail butterfly sheds its shell and emerges

Xia Bin said that the golden-spotted swallowtail butterfly is extremely sensitive to environmental changes, and the size of its population directly reflects the health of the ecological environment. Protecting the golden-spotted swallowtail butterfly not only maintains ecological balance and promotes biodiversity, but also makes a positive contribution to the construction of ecological civilization, which has immeasurable significance and role for the future of mankind and the entire earth's ecosystem.

Question 2: The golden-spotted swallowtail butterfly has frequently appeared in Jiangxi in recent years. What does this mean?

Speaking of the frequent presence of the golden-spotted swallowtail butterfly in Jiangxi in recent years, with reports of golden-spotted swallowtail butterfly in Jinggangshan, Jiulianshan and other places, Xia Bin believes that this phenomenon reflects the efforts of the forestry department of Jiangxi Province in the construction of national-level nature reserves in recent years. The Jiangxi Provincial Forestry Department has effectively promoted the protection of the golden-spotted swallowtail butterfly and its ecological environment by strengthening the construction of nature reserves, promoting scientific research cooperation and public education, and providing a safer and more suitable habitat for the golden-spotted swallowtail butterfly.

Question 3: How can we protect the Swallowtail Butterfly and allow it to fly freely among the mountains and forests?

Regarding the protection of the golden-spotted swallowtail butterfly, Xia Bin said that it is necessary to strengthen the protection of the golden-spotted swallowtail butterfly's habitat and host plants, minimize human interference and balance human activities. At the same time, it is also necessary to vigorously strengthen publicity, not only to let government departments and scientific researchers at all levels understand the importance of rare species, but also to let the people know that protecting biodiversity is protecting mankind themselves.

The flutter of each butterfly's wings is part of a natural miracle, and the changes in flora and fauna also reflect the ecological changes quietly taking place on this green planet. In Jiangxi, a green treasure house, with the in-depth implementation of a series of protection measures, the beautiful scene of butterflies flying and green mountains is being vividly staged.