CHANDIGARH: Most people think butterflies are beautiful and gentle. These insects are celebrated for delicately sipping and surviving on flower nectar. Yet research is showing an increasing number of butterfly species that prefer dead snakes, carnivore excreta, human sweat and smelly socks of field scientists! These beautiful scavengers of the dead are like vultures, aiding in decomposition as male butterflies tirelessly extract salts, minerals and nitrates to enhance ''dowries'' for bagging more mates.

These species go by exotic names: Rajahs, Sailors, Nawabs, Sergeants, Commanders, Yeomans, Blue and Grey Pansies, Bush Browns et al, found all across India. There is obviously ''blood'' on the whiskers of these noble-sounding creatures. The gardens of UT and its periperhal forests are good habitat for some of these ''vampire'' butterflies. ''These butterflies are very aggressive and territorial, fighting hard to ward off other males and while scavenging for salts on carrion. We often see a butterfly with tattered wings, nearing its death, which indicates a fight for territory. I have observed Rajahs feeding on a dead Pit viper and these butterflies not only ensured other species were kept off the feed but also butted each other. I have also observed butterflies feeding on a freshly killed snake and seeking salts from the blood. In this situation, the butterflies are completely absorbed and often get killed,'' said Isaac Kehimkar, general manager (programmes) at the Bombay Natural History Society and India's leading authority on butterflies.

These scavenger butterfly species are slaves to love and often make the ultimate sacrifice of life. Male butterflies mesmerised with the promise of mating season flock down on carnivore excreta on roads. Carnivores often relieve themselves on roads during the night as there is no grass to tickle their backsides. Butterflies scavenging on excreta are the mass casualties of ''road rage'' the next morning. ''Zoologist Khushal Chaudhary studied these road casualties to see which species were dying. In fact, wildlife conservationists had to protest against the reconstruction of a road in Ultapani, Assam, where a lot of butterflies were dying in road hits. The Assam minister and the people got very agitated over the protest and it became a very tricky face-off,'' says Kehimkar.

Kehimkar can never forget how when out on a field research expedition, butterflies flocked to his smelly socks, which he would never dare to take close to any human! Scientist sweat was also greedily gobbled by butterflies. Habitat destruction and not poaching poses the greatest danger to butterflies, says Kehimkar. ''Mining and dams and forest clearance are the big killers. We must protect forests. We can also go in for butterfly harvesting as they do in Kenya. That will make conserving butterflies a viable option as is done by big farmers in Kenya,'' said Kehimkar.

