Butterflies in Semuliki national park

Butterflies in Semuliki national park: A total of 448 butterflies have been so far recorded in Semuliki national park and there is more yet to be discovered. Semuliki national park is one of Uganda’s national parks found in the western Uganda Bundibudgyo district. It was gazetted in 1993 as a national park with the goal of protecting different wildlife species.  Semuliki national park harbors 435 bird species, 53 mammals, 9 primates, and 448 butterfly species.

There are over 1240 butterfly species in Uganda making it the fourth country in Africa with the highest number of butterflies. In Uganda, Semuliki national park has the highest number of butterfly species when it comes to national parks. 448 butterfly species which is about 43% of Uganda’s butterflies are found in Semuliki national park.

Butterfly watching in Semuliki national park

There are no roads within Semuliki national park so tourists use the available walking trails to access most of the park areas. Moving around the park is done with an armed ranger guide for security reasons because some animals can be dangerous. The fact that Semuliki national park has other wildlife species means that while tourists are walking they will be able to meet some of the animals within the park.

During butterfly searching, tourists are able to access as many areas of the park as they can. This is done to increase the chances of seeing so many butterfly species that have been recorded within the park. Tourists who want to see many of the butterflies of Semuliki national park are advised to do the activity twice or even more before leaving the park.

Butterfly species in Semuliki national park

On a butterfly watching safari in Semuliki national park, there are so many species tourists can spot while moving around the park. They include Charaxes fulvescens, charaxes pollux, bicyclus, euphaedra alacris, choroclanis virescens, biston abruptaria, pikachu moth, euphaedra rattrayi, blue monarch, common glider, forest glade nymph, soldier commodore, belenois solilucis, little pansy, tailed bush brown, toothed stately bush brown, chiasmia fulvisparsa, lycoa Acraea, and African caper.

Euphaedra hollandi, becker’s creamy yellow glider, sarothroceras banaka, cymothoe Cyclades, veined swordtail, andriasa contraria, euphaedra eberti, plain vagrant, common glassy Acraea, common blue banded forester, nemetes sailer, violet banded palla, cucumber moth, angular glider, mung bean moth, savanna pathfinder, mulberry hawkmoth, bicyclus alboplagus, catuna crithea, gregori’s brown pansy, mylantria xanthospila.

Bethune baker’s bush brown, dark yellow forest sylph, euphaedra edwardsii, rhipidarctia crameri, bicyclus mollitia, variegated pearl, common palm forester, cymothoe ochreata, euriphene saphirina, zebra pyrale, common nephele, simple orange forester, neuroxena ansorgei, chirinda bush brown, cadarena pudoraria, spiny bollworm, common ginger white, euphaedra hybrida, coffee berry moth, fulvous hawk, small black bush brown, marcipalina umbrosa.

aletis helcita, orange streak Acraea, common pathfinder, haritalodes polycymalis, cymothoe Cyclades, widespread forester, variable diadem, square winged red charaxes, marcipalina conjuncta, hill bush brown, common mother of pearl, amata marina, polyptychus carteri, cymothoe confusa, African leaf butterfly, rhodope dotted border, blue diadem butterfly, peneleos Acraea, painted pearl, and boisduval’s tree nymph among others.

The most appropriate time for butterfly watching in Semuliki national park

Tourists that are interested in butterfly watching in Semuliki national park can visit the park at any time of the year however the dry season is the best period. June to September and December to February are the best periods to visit the park because they have no or little rainfall and plenty of sunshine. This means that the walking trails are dry and easier to go through while the vegetation is short and scattered with clear views and photography of the butterflies.

Other activities carried out in Semuliki national park

Butterfly watching is best done in Semuliki national park in the whole of Uganda because of the high population of species found there. Apart from butterfly watching, the national park is also popular for bird watching activities since it hosts over 435 bird species. Semuliki national park also harbors chimpanzees therefore there are chimpanzee activities carried out inside the park. Lastly, Semuliki national park has hot springs and these are normally visited during nature walk activities.