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The paintbrush swift was recently photographed and documented for the first time in the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh.

Facts About:

• The Paintbrush Swift butterfly, a rare species in the western Himalayas, was recently photographed and documented in Himachal Pradesh's Chamba district.
• Himachal Pradesh supports approximately 430 butterfly species, which make up about 25% of all butterfly species found in India.
• The Paintbrush Swift (Baoris farri) belongs to the Hesperiidae family and was discovered during a field survey under the Wild Bhattiyat Project in 2022.

                    It had never been photographed in Himachal Pradesh since its initial discovery in 1878.

• The project, initiated by the Bhattiyat Forest Range of the Dalhousie Forest Division, has documented 120 butterfly species, including the Paintbrush Swift.
• The butterfly's habitat distribution is common in northeast, central, and south India but rare in Uttarakhand.
• The Paintbrush Swift can be identified by two separated spots in the upper forewing cell.
• Conservation efforts are urgently needed to protect butterflies, including creating butterfly parks, rearing centers, and awareness campaigns, especially for high-altitude species facing habitat destruction and declining numbers.