Bukad Project

Bukad Project Youth-led butterfly conservation education in the Philippines supported by the National Geographic Society and The Nature Conservancy. 🦋✨

A glimpse into the butterflies of Masungi Georeserve 🦋From striking species to newly documented ones, each sighting refl...
19/04/2026

A glimpse into the butterflies of Masungi Georeserve 🦋

From striking species to newly documented ones, each sighting reflects the richness of life within this landscape.

Butterflies are environmental indicators, offering insight into the health of ecosystems and the diversity of life they support.

Masungi’s unique rock formations and lush forests support a thriving wildlife sanctuary.

This project is supported by the National Geographic Society and The Nature Conservancy.

We also thank the Masungi Georeserve Foundation for making this work possible.

📸 Masungi Georeserve Foundation/Renz Perez/Jolo Eisma
📸 Bukad Project/Jillian De Leon/Dustin Francisco

References:
Badon, J. A. T. (2023). A naturalist’s guide to the butterflies of the Philippines. John Beaufoy Publishing Ltd.
Hardy, Peter & Lawrence, James. (2022). Butterflies of the Philippines.
iNaturalist. Available from https://www.inaturalist.org. Accessed March 31, 2026.

On March 25, Bukad Project held a Flutter Session in Masungi, working with park officers to explore butterfly ecology an...
15/04/2026

On March 25, Bukad Project held a Flutter Session in Masungi, working with park officers to explore butterfly ecology and monitoring in the field. 🦋✨

From learning the basics to setting up bait traps and conducting transect walks, we focused on building practical skills that support biodiversity conservation on the ground.

Butterflies serve as indicators of ecosystem health—making them an important focus for conservation and monitoring.

This project is supported by the National Geographic Society and The Nature Conservancy.

We also thank the Masungi Georeserve Foundation for making this work possible.

📸 Masungi Georeserve Foundation/Jolo Eisma
📸 Bukad Project/Andrey Yeung/Jillian De Leon

12/04/2026

When forests thrive, butterflies—and all other wildlife—thrive too. 🦋✨

As environmental indicators, their presence reflects the health of the ecosystem.

Masungi’s iconic rock formations and lush forests support a rich and thriving ecosystem.

This project is supported by the National Geographic Society and The Nature Conservancy.

We also thank the Masungi Georeserve Foundation for making this work possible.

📸 Masungi Georeserve Foundation/Renz Perez

On March 28, we brought Bukad Project’s Flutter Session online for the first time through the third installment of BIOTA...
31/03/2026

On March 28, we brought Bukad Project’s Flutter Session online for the first time through the third installment of BIOTA-Bicol’s Webinar Series, in partnership with Bicol University College of Science, under the theme “Evolution and the Diversity of Life.”

Together with over 250 participants, we shared the basics of butterfly biology and ecology, grounded in a simple goal: helping people see butterflies as more than just beautiful insects, but as important organisms of our ecosystems.

Maraming salamat po BIOTA-Bicol for the trust and for opening this space for Bukad.

This project is supported by the National Geographic Society and The Nature Conservancy.

30/03/2026

Flutter Fact: Bakit nga ba “butterfly” ang tawag sa butterfly? 🦋

Follow us as we discover the flutter of our butterflies.

This project is supported by the National Geographic Society and The Nature Conservancy.

References:
Online Etymology Library - Butterfly

Images:
Cheongweei Gan. (2022). iNaturalist observation 130207302. Accessed on 29 Mar 2026.
Galin Ivanov. (2024). iNaturalist observation 212691785. Accessed on 29 Mar 2026.

📸 Flutter Finds: Through the Lenses of the Community🦋 Northern Wallacean (Zethera pimplea)📍 Mt. Lubo, Tanay, Rizal📸 Wilh...
20/03/2026

📸 Flutter Finds: Through the Lenses of the Community

🦋 Northern Wallacean (Zethera pimplea)
📍 Mt. Lubo, Tanay, Rizal
📸 Wilhelm Tan

A medium to large dark brown butterfly marked with a bold white band across its wings. Usually found in forested areas, flying along shaded trails and clearings. Its caterpillars feed on bamboo species, and it is distributed across several Philippine islands including Luzon.

🦋 Common Mapwing (Cyrestis maenalis)
📍 Mt. Lubo, Tanay, Rizal
📸 Wilhelm Tan

📍 Pugo, La Union
📸 Toby Vergara

A medium-sized white butterfly marked with fine black lines that resemble a map, with orange accents near the wing tips. It often perches quietly on leaves or gathers near rivers and lakes to puddle. Its caterpillars feed on Ficus ulmifolia, and it is found in forested areas.

🦋 Chocolate Albatross (Appias lyncida)
📍 Batac, Ilocos Norte
📸 Toby Vergara

A small butterfly with distinct zebra-like markings underneath and bright blue tones in males. Often seen along forest edges and shaded gardens, its caterpillars feed on plants such as Plumbago, Albizia, and Mimosa. In the Philippines, it occurs in parts of Luzon, Leyte, Negros, and Mindanao.

🦋 Zebra Blue (Leptotes plinius)
📍 Batac, Ilocos Norte
📸 Toby Vergara

A medium-sized butterfly where males appear mostly white with black margins, while females are darker brown with sharp white markings. Common in lowland habitats and gardens, its caterpillars rely on plants in the Capparidaceae family, such as Crateva and Capparis. This species is distributed widely across Luzon, the Visayas, Mindanao, and Palawan.

🦋 Common Glassy Tiger (Parantica vitrina)
📍 Aurora
📸 Bads Trinidad

A medium-sized butterfly with semi-transparent wings edged in black, giving it a delicate, glassy appearance. It flies slowly along forest edges, trails, and sometimes gardens in lowland areas. Its caterpillars feed on plants in the milkweed family, making it common in both natural and disturbed habitats.

🌙 White Tiger Moth (Nyctemera coleta)
📍 Aurora
📸 Bads Trinidad

A striking black-and-white moth with bold white patches on its wings and body. Often active during the day, it can be seen flying in open areas and forest edges. This species is widely distributed across Asia, including the Philippines.

🦋 Orange Gull (Cepora aspasia)
📍 Pasig City, Metro Manila
📸 Tina Montes

A medium-sized butterfly with white forewings lined in black and bright yellow hindwings bordered with dark margins. It flies quickly along forest edges and open areas, often in sunny lowland habitats. Its caterpillars feed on caper plants, and the species is widespread across the Philippines.

We love seeing your butterfly observations! 💚

Share your butterfly photos with us to be featured in Flutter Finds.

This project is supported by the National Geographic Society and The Nature Conservancy.

Reference:
Badon, J. A. T. (2023). A naturalist’s guide to the butterflies of the Philippines. John Beaufoy Publishing Ltd.

iNaturalist. Available from https://www.inaturalist.org. Accessed March 18, 2026.

Kunte, K. and S. Sondhi. 2026. COPYRIGHT STATEMENT . In Sondhi, S., R.P. Singh, G. Iyer, J. D'silva and K. Kunte (Chief Editors). Butterflies of India, v. 4.11. Indian Foundation for Butterflies.

On March 3, we celebrate World Wildlife Day. 🌿🦋When we hear “wildlife,” we often picture dense forests or places far fro...
03/03/2026

On March 3, we celebrate World Wildlife Day. 🌿🦋

When we hear “wildlife,” we often picture dense forests or places far from our cities and towns. Yet butterflies thrive in gardens, school grounds, parks, and roadsides—spaces woven into daily life.

They depend on the plants growing around us, including those used for medicine, food, and livelihood in many communities. When these plants are present and diverse, the pollinators and ecosystems connected to them can thrive as well.

Conservation can begin with something simple: paying attention to what is already here.

Which butterflies have you seen in your area? 🦋

This project is supported by the National Geographic Society and The Nature Conservancy.

References:
Badon, J. A. T. (2023). A naturalist’s guide to the butterflies of the Philippines. John Beaufoy Publishing Ltd.

Images:
Anoop Asranna (2025) - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/311907534
Floyd E. Hayes (2025) - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/329704824
Ujjal Kishor De (2025) - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/305997695
Ujjal Kishor De (2025) - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/324111919
woktobia (2023) - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/191575324
kristin_trepels (2025) - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/320121887

📸 Flutter Finds: Through the Lens of Aldrich Roque🦋 Luzon Grass Dart (Taractrocera cf. luzonensis)📍 Malolos, BulacanA ti...
23/02/2026

📸 Flutter Finds: Through the Lens of Aldrich Roque

🦋 Luzon Grass Dart (Taractrocera cf. luzonensis)
📍 Malolos, Bulacan

A tiny dark brown butterfly marked with bright orange bands, including a small heart-shaped marking near the tip of its forewing. It flies low and fast in grassy areas such as roadsides, ball fields, gardens, and forest edges. Its caterpillars feed on grasses (Poaceae), and it is widely distributed across Luzon, the Visayas, Mindanao, and Palawan.

🦋 Psyche (Leptosia nina)
📍 Malolos, Bulacan

A small, delicate butterfly with pale white wings and distinct black spots near the tips, flying weakly close to the ground in grassy areas. Its caterpillars feed on spider flowers (Cleome) and Crateva species, which explains why it is commonly found in open, lowland spaces.

🦋 Lesser Grass Blue (Zizina cf. otis)
📍 Malolos, Bulacan

A tiny blue butterfly that flies low over grasses, often seen along roadsides and in home gardens. Its caterpillars feed on common low-growing plants like Amaranthus and Desmodium, allowing it to thrive in disturbed and grassy areas across the Philippines.

🌙 Beet Webworm Moth (Spoladea recurvalis)
📍 Malolos, Bulacan

A small brown moth with bold white bands across its wings, including a curved marking on the forewing. Common in gardens and open fields, especially where leafy vegetables grow. Its caterpillars feed on amaranth, spinach, and other low-growing plants, and it is widespread in tropical regions including the Philippines.

🌙 Convolvulus Hawk-Moth (Agrius convolvuli)
📍 Malolos, Bulacan

A large gray hawk moth with pink and black bands along the abdomen. Active at dusk and night, it hovers over flowers to feed using its long proboscis. Its caterpillars feed on sweet potato and other morning glory vines, making it common in gardens and farms across the Philippines.

🌙 Wasp Moth (cf. Amata sp.)
📍 Malolos, Bulacan

A slender black moth marked with orange or yellow bands and clear patches on its wings. Unlike most moths, it flies during the day and mimics stinging wasps to avoid predators. Species of this genus are widespread in tropical Asia, including the Philippines, and are often seen in grassy or open areas.

We love seeing your observations! 💚

Share your butterfly and moth photos with us to be featured in Flutter Finds.

This project is supported by the National Geographic Society and The Nature Conservancy.

Reference:
Badon, J. A. T. (2023). A naturalist’s guide to the butterflies of the Philippines. John Beaufoy Publishing Ltd.

VanDyk, John, ed. 2026. BugGuide.Net: Identification, Images, & Information For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin For the United States & Canada. Iowa State University. Accessed February 22 2026. https://bugguide.net/.

iNaturalist. Available from https://www.inaturalist.org. Accessed February 22, 2026.

22/02/2026

Isn't this just the picture of serenity and hope?

A few weeks ago, we featured the caterpillar of this pretty butterfly, the Malayan Jezebel (𝘋𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘢) which looked like it was getting ready to pupate. As if to assure us that the circle of life was completed, Cleo Lagata sent us a photo of the imago which she spotted at the SOM Forest! Isn't its coloration striking? Bright yellow with bold red at the base of its wings, all outlined in contrasting black! While its uppersides are mostly black and white, this butterfly often rests in this position, advertising its presence. These colors serve as aposematic signals, warning predators of its unpalatability. During its larval stage, the caterpillar feeds on mistletoe, and is thought to accumulate toxic chemical compounds from its host plant!

While this butterfly used to be rarely documented for the first couple of years when we started this project, it seems that there are increasing sightings of them. While we cannot conclude whether it is because we have more eyes on the lookout or whether the number of individuals are actually increasing, we are thrilled to take note that Malayan Jezebels are now regularly being seen! Thank you Cleo for taking the time to document this beautiful butterfly and sending us your photo!

20/02/2026

Species Spotlight: /Idea leuconoe/, also known as the Paper Kite Butterfly or Large Tree Nymph 🦋

Often released during weddings, this gentle glider symbolizes love taking flight. But beyond the romance, the Paper Kite tells a story of connection.

As caterpillars, they depend on spiral-vined silkpod or lagaylay (Parsonsia alboflavescens), a toxic vine now considered near-threatened. When native plants disappear, so do the butterflies that rely on them.

In nature, love also means protection—caring for the plants that sustain life.

✨ Follow us as we discover the flutter of our butterflies!
💬 Got a butterfly species you’re curious about? Comment below or send us a message, and we might feature it next!

This project is supported by the National Geographic Society and The Nature Conservancy.

References:
Badon, J. A. T. (2023). A naturalist’s guide to the butterflies of the Philippines. John Beaufoy Publishing Ltd.

Hardy, Peter & Lawrence, James. (2022). Butterflies of the Philippines.

Idea leuconoe | Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory - https://www.cambridgebutterfly.com/idea-leuconoe/

Images:
古國順 (2024) | iNaturalist - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/252365603
galanhsnu (2025) | iNaturalist - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/331429873

Videos:
Erwin Aurella (2012) | YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WI4ViRZw9WE
machiiro (2021) | YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/HbT1pQ9WHS0
neerfundot (2023) | YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/LcWAcF-aRBg

17/02/2026

How many shades of red can you detect in this photo?

In a corner of the Arboretum of Threatened Philippine Trees, the native Mali-mali (𝘓𝘦𝘦𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴) is almost constantly in bloom, pushing out large, tightly packed flower clusters like this one. Unopened buds display colors from warm orange-red to cool berry, creating an eye-catching display! Once they open, they reveal cream colored petals and you can already see a few of them scattered throughout the cluster. Mali-mali flowers are pollinator attractors, providing a feast of pollen and nectar for the Oriental Palm Bob (𝘚𝘶𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘶𝘴) and Eastern Honeybee (𝘈𝘱𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘢) in the photo!

In Chinese culture, red symbolizes prosperity, vitality, and good fortune. What better color to feature to welcome the Year of the Fire Horse? Gōng xǐ fā cái! We wish everyone more happiness, good health, love, and prosperity!

On February 16, we shared the story and advocacy behind Bukad Project with PUP Biology students during Juan With The Wil...
16/02/2026

On February 16, we shared the story and advocacy behind Bukad Project with PUP Biology students during Juan With The Wild 🦋✨

This event was organized by the PUP Society of Biology Students, and we’re truly grateful for the space to talk about butterflies and why they matter.

As a growing initiative, opportunities like this mean a lot. Maraming salamat sa tiwala!

This project is supported by the National Geographic Society and The Nature Conservancy.

Address

Kilometer 45, Marcos Highway, Tanay, Rizal
Tanay

Website

https://blog.nature.org/2025/10/15/the-butterflie

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