Bee engaged – Build Back Better for Bees

Today is May 20, 2021, and most importantly today is "World Bee Day" which is celebrated each year. This day is celebrated coinciding with the born day of the pioneer of beekeeping Anton Jansa, who was born in 1734.

The major objective of celebrating this World Bee Day is to spread awareness of the significant role plays by bees and other pollinators for our survival. Every year on this day, the global public will focus on the importance of preserving bees and all other pollinators.

Lots of people might have a question about Why do bees matter to us? Well, bee species like honey bees, bumblebees, and solitary bees are mainly important and play a vital role in the pollination of food crops which means they move pollen from one plant to another, fertilizing the plants so that they can produce fruits, vegetables, seeds and so on, ensuring food security and nutrition, and maintaining biodiversity and vibrant ecosystems for plants, humans and the bees themselves. In fact, 85% of the pollination of all food crops for humans is pollinated by bees.  

Their importance is so great, that UK farmers have to bear costs of £1.8bn a year to pollinate crops manually if bees disappeared. 

They are also food sources for some birds and insectivorous animals. So, why save them? you probably get a general idea now!

"If the bee disappeared off the face of the Earth, man would only have four years left to live".     - Albert Einstein

Sadly, the population of bees is depleting. The known causes of bee decline include pesticides, habitat loss, and climate change. The rapidly growing modern agriculture practices have increased the use of herbicides, insecticides, and pesticides, which have all contributed to the loss of bees. 

Now, how can we save them then? Well, here are some ways to conserve them.
    - Plant a Bee Garden.

    - Go chemical-free for Bees.
    - Become a Citizen Scientist.
    - Provide trees for Bees.
    - Create a Bee bath.
    - Build homes for native Bees.
    - Teach and share with others. 

One day Hiking and Butterfly Watching

 I should do something on this coming "National Learn About Butterflies Day, March 14, 2021". 

This was the thought that immediately strikes in my mind soon after knowing the date March 14 has been celebrating to learn some new things on butterflies. As a butterfly enthusiast thinking of what shall be done to make this event memorable but effective and educational at the same time. So, without any doubt planned for organizing a butterfly watching. But the question is how to let others enroll in this program? This big question has disturbed the planning for few days. How about hiking? How about hiking with butterfly watching? wow, that would be cherry on top. So, without any second thought fixed for organizing one-day hiking and butterfly watching. This will definitely enroll one who is interested in studying butterflies as well as one who needs a break from their busy schedule. Also, this will be favorable for all age groups children, adults, students, and butterfly enthusiasts. What a wonderful idea!! finally in peace. 

Anyone interested in Butterfly Watching and Hiking to Suryabinayak Bhaktapur this Saturday? If interested plz call me at 9849696540

I posted a status on Facebook in my timeline to know if anyone is interested to participate. Soon after the post, comments and phone calls were on fire requesting to be part of the event and asking for more details. Then after I posted a full status with event details including the time to meet, hiking route with the main attraction of the event "Butterfly watching, handling and identification".

Suddenly something strike into my mind that what could be the weather condition on that day? Quickly I followed some weather apps and online weather portals.  To my bad, the weather prediction was a whole day of cloudy sky and the probability of raining after 12:00 pm. I was in a dilemma whether to proceed with the event or cancel for next time. Though realizing the facts, I chose not to cancel the event. Whatever happens, we shall see later!

So, on March 13, 2021, reached at Suryabinayak temple gate early morning where all the participants gonna meet and start our hiking. After about 30 minutes of waiting all participants (13participants) arrived, I gave some background information on the main aims and objectives of the event. 

The hike was started from Suryabinayak temple to Doleshwor temple and reached our final destination Maali gaon. In between the participants get to know using insect net and catch butterflies like Indian Cabbage White, Dark Judy, Common Four Ring, Indian Tortoiseshell, and Peacock Pansy do a close inspection of its identifying characteristics. We could only observe five species of butterflies since it was cloudy weather. The hike was started around 7:30 am and by the time we've reached Maaligaun it was around 10:00 am. Then we had lunch in Maligaun Hills. Mr. Bijay Basnet, the owner of the farmhouse has warmly welcomed us and served delicious local Dal-Bhat. It was very good actually. 

After few minutes of a break then we walk back to Suryabinayak temple. Luckily, even though it was cloudy weather the whole day, there was no rainfall. Otherwise, it would have halted our hiking making it hard to return back.  

Overall, today's hike was a good experience. Besides hiking, at least a few more people get to know more about butterflies and their importance.

"Let's conserve and protect butterflies and their habitats"

"Don’t they fly away before you can photograph them?"

Butterfly watching has never been the same as when I started. Watching for them was never my concern and did not find it interesting. I thought why should I be clicking them since they are continuously flying and almost like never landed nearby you, even if so happen, it won't stay for long providing enough time to photograph them!! Damn those creatures!! 

Yeah, I did snap few pictures of them during the traveling old days. Instead, I find landscapes and portraits and other wild animals are fascinating. However, I had a soft corner for them as being an environmental science student, I guess!. But not sure....hmmmm. ....whatever! I don't know the exact date or time, but I guess it was during wildlife research techniques training organized by Friends of Nature in December 2014, I've got to realize that butterfly watching could be interesting. Those tiny insects are overshadowed by any other conservation action and activities. So, I felt I should do something for them.

After five years now, I'm still searching for butterflies and enjoying the moment to the fullest. Watching them can be fun, educational, and relaxing. More importantly, these tiny creatures are least preferred to study and research whilst, most are deviated to study megafaunal species like tigers, elephants, snow leopards, etc. 

At the very beginning, it was tough to watch and take photographs of butterflies. Sometimes, felt like why am I doing this? Why am I still here? It's so tiresome and boring to just wait and wait and wait just to watch them !!!... But whenever I've got to chase some butterflies and clicked a sharp and beautiful photograph and watching their behavior, then all of a sudden all those negative vibes and pessimist thoughts are faded away. 

 

“How you are snapping those shots of a butterfly” “Don’t they fly away before you can photograph them?’ these are the common questions most of my friends or beginners asked me and my answer be like wait wait wait and wait. It’s all about passion, patient, and time.

I spent almost an hour photographing a picture of Paris Peacock Papilio paris. It was during research in Suryabinayak Municipality in 2016. The project was funded by The Rufford Foundation. I have never seen Paris Peacock before in this area. The green-colored wings and the blue patch on the upper hindwing connected to the inner margin by a narrow, sharply defined green band had definitely magnetic effect to watch this species. I approached near but it flies so fast that I can barely have a clear and stable view. I definitely felt pain in my neck while watching it flying here and there with its powerful ragged flight. Binocular was definitely not an option at the moment. Even at a distance of more than 10m, I could hardly watch it rest. 

I don’t know how does it knows that I’m approaching it. I step ahead so slowly that anyone nearby can see my footstep that a single step could take almost 7-8 seconds. Like I was doing a slow dance. It just flew away in a matter of seconds and fly up the high ground making me impossible to see. But I was determined to take its photo. I keep pursuing it in the grassland, agriculture field, near water stream without knowing that my both legs are already in the water and my trouser was already half wet. The situation even got worsen when it keeps on flying in a high canopy. I kept on pursuing it and determined to photograph a clear single shot at least. I’ve got to know from some text and my senior butterfly researcher that the butterfly definitely rests at some point and that’s the prime moment you should not miss to observe clearly and photograph. Without knowing I had covered almost 300 m aerial distance my almost an hour of devotion finally paid off. I had not a sharp and perfect but identifiable photo at last.

It’s a tedious job to walk and pursue towards the butterfly and have enough good photographs. But, it’s not the same always. Sometimes you got a chance to see and take photographs so quickly and be the lucky one that it rests very close to you and you have got enough shot and it keeps walking around you. At such a
moment even I have taken photographed using my mobile and macro lens.

Definitely, it keeps on flying, and hard to have clear shot and photographs. But as time pass by and keep on pursuing without disturbing it you can definitely have memento watching butterflies and who knows you are holding this tiny beautiful creature in your palm and enjoying the moment to the fullest. 

 

FUN WITH BUTTERFLY WATCHING!!

Butterfly watching may not be interesting to everyone. Some might find it inspiring and some might find it boring (those who have never tried and experienced it). Sometimes it might be tedious and boring but like bird watching, patience paid off in the end. Butterflies are just so cool and bizarre and fascinating. Watching them can be fun, educational, and relaxing. It never gets boring. Taking time to learn a little bit about these creatures about when and where to spot them can make this hobby much more successful.

One of the best and easiest ways to start watching butterflies is to start from our backyards, home gardens, and roof gardens. In the beginning, most people might get negative vibes that not being able to watch closely enough and catch them coz it flies so fast and won't stay at one place making it difficult to observe to identify them. But what makes it different is how patience we are? If we relax and take our time, butterflies will appear when they’re good and ready, so don’t give up too soon. We know how much time do fishermen take to catch a fish!

To be continued ….

THE DAY I EMBRACE BIRD

It was during the month of August-October 2013, my mentor, teacher, guide Mr. Kamal Raj Gosai called me and asked if I am interested to get enrolled in a project led by him in the Rupandehi district on Sarus Crane. Without any second thought, I agreed to assist thinking my leisure time will be utilized and after all, knowing through field experience is more memorable than drowning in bookworms. I joined him with Suryaman Shrestha dai.

I had assisted the project traveling around searching for Sarus crane the tallest flying bird. Finding the bird and studying their nest was so much fun to know and study. More importantly, what actually changed my views, perception and broaden my knowledge, and grows more love for them is studying their behavior. 

One early morning the tallest bird rises as the sun rises and starts the true beauty of love and care by greeting each other and then the real magical moment happens - the spectacular dance of breeding pair with their trumpeting and unison calls. This display of courtship is uninhibited yet beautiful. 

One of them spread its wingspan, balancing delicately on its long legs, making a seductive curve of the red-jeweled-neck, and the other also made the same elegant curve of its own neck. Then as one was jumping and bowing, the other kept circling around the partner. It lasts for about half an hour. Then they retreated and flew past leaving us. However, in the case of pair having eggs on the nest, one flew away in search of food while one waits in the nest protecting the eggs, and roam around making sure the nest and surrounding area safe from others. This spectacular and magical behavior has truly triggered my inner core of heart and the intimacy I felt at those moments had never faded away. 

I had never thought of having intimate feelings for those birds at the beginning. Yeah, being an environmental science student and having an interest in wildlife biology I did had soft spot for the birds whilst, enjoy studying the cats and insects. I did not know that studying birds would be interesting, enthusiastic, adventurous and so much compelling. The day I watched Sarus Crane, the day I embrace birds has changed my beliefs and always remains a beautiful memory.

 

Ringmo – the most frequented Bon Village in Dolpo

Ringmo is a traditional village in Dolpo in the Dolpa district Nepal. The people are mostly of Tibetan ethnicity and engage in trade, yak herding, and tourism. It lies at about 3660m (12,000 ft) asl.

 

Pristine Moment

 On the way to Phoksundo Lake (3610m asl), Dolpa