Around Shoskom Hill is the habitat where I discovered both Bhutanitis ludlowi and Bhutanitis lidderdalii were present. Aristolochia griffithii, the primary foodplant of the Bhutan Glories, is relatively abundant there and only under direct threat from roaming cattle. The trees are cut down to provide firewood to the nomads. I am educating them on the importance of the trees to the survival of the A.griffithii and therefore the Bhutan Glories. There are a number of nectar plants around for the adults such as viburnum, buddleia and others. The main predators of the larvae appear to be the warblers and yuhiniaa.
Bhutanitis ludlowi
I located a cluster of B.ludlowi eggs on 1st September 2023. These eggs started to hatch on 4th September.
1st instar
2nd instar
3rd instar
Bhutanitis lidderdalli
On 9th September I recorded the first emergence of Bhutanitis lidderdalii and the first mating was observed on 29th September.
The eggs are laid in a much more spreadout way than for B.ludlowi.
Eggs were first discovered on 12th October.
The 1st instar hatched on 30th October
Note the very different colouring of the early instars of each species.
Over the past two years since the project commenced, several tourists from around the world have visited the site, However, the terrain, weather conditions and the lack of infrastructure currently means we are unable to maximise the site’s ecotourism potential.
One of the most impressive achievements of the project has been the development of the garden of a local businesswoman, Kelzang, who has been selling her embroidery and crafts to support conservation awareness. The use of government land on lease was a possibility, but the challenges with this may have severely affected the progress and intended purposes of the garden, as well as escalated the budget. Furthermore, it would have been difficult to initiate and mobilize the funds and meet their expectations. All the works done as part of the project and conservation works here are thoughtfully done at a small scale but in effective way. We therefore opted to use private land and, since this development requires constant management, it has been done on a small scale. Various flowers like sunflowers, orchids, buddleia sp. have been planted. Locals have also contributed by providing flowers. However, two important aspects which are currently lacking are a greenhouse, and staff to support with ongoing management of the garden. Kelzang has been managing the space herself, but as the workload is increasing, this is affecting her day-to-day livelihood.
Other highlights from the project:
Embroidery
The embroidery although done by a single lady has helped to bring in tourists to the area, raise awareness of the conservation project, and address social issues. It has also led to the development of a library space and the small butterfly garden which further led to the development of houses, toilets, etc. The first house was developed for another local lady who weaves the base sheet of the embroidery. These constructions are around the areas where the Bhutan Glories have been observed flying, so in the event of an emergency or immediate support required to support the species, local support can be mobilized quickly and easily. The sales of the embroidery have allowed Kelzang to mobilize funds for the development of a small tea house in the butterfly garden area for her to generate some income. It will also function as an outdoor classroom for programs during the summer and winter vacations. Due to her work here, Kelzang was also invited to attend a training in Homestay development for 15 days by the local government here.
Piggy bank account for primary students
In order to develop financial literacy skills amongst the local people and to make people aware of the possible economic benefits of conservation, several students attended classes where they were provided with a small amount of money as an initial investment. Subsequently, through the “Gift of Nature” program, the whole school (Brekha Primary School) of 60 students were provided with a small sum of money to start a piggy bank account in their names.
Contribution of chairs and tables to program participants
A few students struggling to find study space at home were provided with some tables and chairs from the library space to encourage and support them.
Library/Community centre
To create an independent space for students in the local area, a small space was developed. Although simple, through the space, classes have been conducted, books on nature are kept and it is used as an information centre. Coupled with the Butterfly Garden and tea house in the same vicinity, the place is becoming something of a community hub.
Art and Nature classes
Every summer and winter break since the project began, numerous wildlife art and nature classes have been conducted. Students were introduced to not only modern arts but various species like the Glories and Kaiser-I-Hind and why their conservation is important. They were also introduced to camera traps and wildlife photography. The classes helped to inspire students and develop their knowledge at a young age. During the classes, the students were shown videos of the life cycles of Bhutan Glories.
Sporting Events highlighting local nature
I have organised a number of archery (Bhutan’s national sport) and darts competitions between the monks in the area.
This was a darts match – Bhutan Glory vs Tragopan. They stand 50 metres from the target. You get 1 point for near the target, 2 for hitting the target and 3 points for a bullseye. The people who have hit the target get a sash to wear on their belts. Team “Tragopan” won this time.
The photo below shows the women engaging in a game of Kolokpa (ཀོ་ལོག་པ) a game long played by Bhutanese. This game can be played between two players, or two teams. Kolokpa refers to the dry round seed extracted from the pod of a wild creeping plant; these are collected and used to play the game, thus giving it its name. 
The Kolokpa game requires a number of dry round seeds, enough to constitute a stack. The number of stacked kolokpa seeds depends on the players; the larger the stack, the longer the game. Each player or team puts their stack of seeds on the ground in a straight line. The game begins by spinning a kolokpa seed on the ground, with the aim of hitting and disrupting the other team’s stack of seeds. The distance between the kolokpa seed and its target is usually between three and four meters. The spinning kolokpa must touch or hit as many of the opponent’s seeds as possible. Any of the opponent’s seeds that are disrupted or moved are taken by the shooter and added to his stack. The one who has the most seeds at the end is the winner.
I am very grateful to the Swallowtail & Birdwing Butterfly Trust for the project grant which has allowed me to do so much of this valuable work in this previously undiscovered area and I look forward to completing my final objective of the project to produce videos of the life stages of the Bhutan Glories.
