Back in 2018-19, Art Village, Karjat (AVK), a collaborative space for naturalists, artists, practitioners, performers and educators, roped in Pune-based ecotourism expert and lepidopterist Amol Pendharkar to re-wild the area with trees and plants that were native to the mixed deciduous region. “While doing so, we decided to develop a part of the property as a butterfly garden. Instead of capturing butterflies, we decided to attract them. Butterflies need two kinds of plants — one to suck nectar from, and the other, to lay eggs on,” explains Pendharkar, who surveyed the area for endemic butterfly species. “We planted native plants and over a period of time, butterflies started coming there. Currently, we get to see 30 to 40 species all year round,” he shares.

Amol Pendharkar and Sumedha Sah