The moments I spend in the backyard are a gateway from the outer world to the inner. Often, I am lost amidst the chirping of the birds and the pranks of the squirrel that ambles along the fig tree in search of a ripe fruit. When one is immersed in the sounds and sights of the natural world, one is in touch with something deep and indescribable. Nature reveals it’s beauty in inexplicable ways..
During one such moment, my attention was drawn to a dainty butterfly darting across the garden. It was wafting lazily over the grass. The morning sunlight reflected off its wings and it seemed to disappear and reappear under its shadows. When it perched itself on top of the broccoli plant, I had a long look at it. I was charmed by its fluffy white body and powdery white wings with the smoky black-tinged edges. When I checked the net, I discovered that this delicate winged beauty is known as the Cabbage White Butterfly. The cabbage white butterfly is often the first butterfly to appear at the beginning of summer. It is affectionately called the “summer snowflake” and there is an interesting history tucked into its gossamer wings. The cabbage white was introduced to the eastern United States and southern Canada along with European cabbage imports in the 1860s. It’s less clear how this species arrived in California. There are no documented appearances in San Francisco before the 1880s, though the butterflies were flourishing in the city by the time of the 1906 earthquake. One Gold Rush-era specimen from Yreka suggests they might have arrived with the Spanish explorers in the Mission period. When food shortages gripped the United States during World War II, the country launched a “Dig for Victory” campaign that resulted in more than 20 million “victory gardens” in backyards and public parks and the harvest of more than 8 million tons of fruits and vegetables. The most popular produce in these gardens were cabbage, kale, broccoli, kohlrabi, turnips, and Brussels sprouts—all plants from the cabbage family. And among those who ate most heartily from the victory gardens was the caterpillar of the small white butterfly - Pieris rapae or the cabbage white. Cabbage whites ate so many victory crops in the United States and in England that one British newspaper called for exterminating these butterflies on sight, calling them “Hitler’s ally”! People still refer to the cabbage white as “rat butterfly,” and a “weedy” species—but their extermination never happened. An incredibly rapid spreader, it has survived all efforts at its annihilation! How did this diminutive butterfly succeed in surviving in different environments across time? Surely it must have worked out ways of working through climate change. It has been suggested that it adapts to climate change by producing less dark pigment so that it absorbs less heat from the sun to avoid overheating in warm climates. One of the researchers involved in this enquiry is Art Shapiro who is a distinguished professor at University of California-Davis. For decades, he has been offering a pitcher of beer to the person who brings him the first cabbage white of the year in the Davis-Sacramento area! But there’s more to the cabbage white than meets the eye. A butterfly relies on the sun’s warmth to heat up its flight muscles before it can flutter off. But it has been observed that even on cloudy days the cabbage white butterfly takes flight before other butterflies. This got the attention of scientists at the University of Exeter, England. They noticed that the cabbage white butterfly is distinctly different from the other butterflies in that it poses in a V-shape. This posture concentrates solar energy directly onto its flight muscles in the thorax, warming them up for takeoff. Inspired by this, they further examined whether the solar panels could be made more effective by replicating the butterfly’s V-shaped pose. Not surprisingly, they found that the amount of power produced increased by almost 50 percent! They also noticed that the surface of the butterfly’s wing is highly reflective. By imitating the V-shaped pose and the reflective wing structure, the researchers produced lighter and more efficient solar panels. These results suggest that the ordinary cabbage white butterfly is an amazing expert at harvesting solar energy! The cabbage white’s white wings also reflect ultraviolet light, which we can’t see but the butterflies can. To our eyes the butterflies seem plain and drab, but to each other, females are a gentle lavender and males shine with a deep royal purple. I marvel at this humble creature, imagining the rainbow it sees that I am unable to. Nature is valuable not just because it is beautiful. It possesses intrinsic value, grounded in its intelligible structure which we to strive to unravel. Let us continue to be awe-struck and feel inspired by the intricate mysteries of the environment that we are enveloped in. Each wing an albino leaf Smudged with charcoal At the tip Flitting here and there Basking in the sun What tales you can share About your seventeen degrees? LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR COMMENTS . . .
38 Comments
Shabbir Amanullah
9/3/2019 06:46:15 pm
What a beautiful exposition of the art and science of a world that man often misses in his or her relentless pursuit of materialism
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Prof Raguram
9/3/2019 07:35:00 pm
Thank you Shabbir!
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Viji
9/3/2019 06:58:41 pm
Exquisite
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Prof Raguram
9/3/2019 07:35:15 pm
Thank you Viji!
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Prathap
9/3/2019 07:09:08 pm
History, ecology, geography and engineering. Inspired by the humble, yet hardy butterfly. Kudos.
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Prof Raguram
9/3/2019 07:35:37 pm
Thanks Prathap!
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Raghu
9/3/2019 08:30:30 pm
Sir
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Prof Raguram
9/3/2019 08:46:11 pm
Thank you Raghu
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Jagdish
9/3/2019 09:07:54 pm
Beautiful Prose.
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Prof Raguram
9/3/2019 09:10:19 pm
Thanks Jagdish
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Brunda Amruthraj
9/3/2019 09:19:03 pm
Marvel at the amount of research that you have done based on your observation. Amazing amount of reflection. Very well written and great learning
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Prof Raguram
9/4/2019 07:50:08 am
Thanks Brunda
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ravisankar v
9/3/2019 10:20:11 pm
awe-struck by your reflections on the "summer snowflake".
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Prof Raguram
9/4/2019 07:51:41 am
Somehow the cabbage white hasn't inspired the poets in comparison to the other colorful ones!
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Nihar Burte
9/3/2019 10:52:20 pm
Never thought a butterfly could have so much history and can be an inspiration to modern technology. Looking forward to many more of such amusing and informative blogs
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Prof Raguram
9/4/2019 07:52:19 am
Thanks Nihar,,,surely will!
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Saranya
9/3/2019 11:21:57 pm
i am reminded of an old Tamil movie song - paravaiai kanndan, vimanam padaithan........pattamboochiai kannadan, suryaminkalam padaithan......
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Prof Raguram
9/4/2019 07:54:56 am
This song from Paava Mannipu doesn't have the lyrics you have just quoted Saranya! Feeling inspired?!
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Naveenchandar
9/4/2019 12:57:09 am
This should appear in the journal "Nature"..an insight into the hidden truths of nature, amply expressed by that inquisitive heart and mind of Prof. Raguram..
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Prof Raguram
9/4/2019 07:55:53 am
Thanks Naveen.
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Anand Pandurangi
9/4/2019 05:54:05 am
I enjoyed this post. I am reading it sitting on my back deck early morning surrounded by lush greenery, crickets, birds and other beautiful little beings. I am Learning from your post how much meaning there is to our environment, how much we miss and how we could a little better. Thanks.
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Prof Raguram
9/4/2019 07:58:26 am
True Anand, such a small butterfly has so much wisdom and knowledge to impart. It is also interesting transformation of what was considered to be a pest, fit for eradication
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Mohan
9/4/2019 09:14:19 am
Wow. This much history and inspiration from one butterfly. Enjoyed your post. Never knew that the solar panels were inspired by the butterfly.
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Prof RaguramSol
9/4/2019 09:20:54 am
They are trying to improve the efficiency of solar panels after observing this butterfly. Wonder whether it has been implemented commercially
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9/4/2019 09:30:41 am
If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterfly. Lyrically described.
Prof Raguram
9/4/2019 10:30:12 am
Thank you dear brit shrink:-)
Rekha
9/4/2019 06:23:57 pm
Absolutely loved it. Thanks. Repeat - All of the above!!
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Prof Raguram
9/4/2019 06:54:32 pm
Thanks Rekha!
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9/5/2019 08:21:53 pm
This article is an eye opener for us & Gen next, keen observation of our surroundings can lead to many new innovation e.g. placing solar panels like the wings of cabbage white butterfly harnessing more energy .
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Prof Raguram
9/5/2019 08:51:24 pm
Thank You!
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பாவண்ணன்
9/6/2019 02:08:52 am
வணக்கம். வெள்ளை நிற வண்ணத்துப்பூச்சியின் படங்கள் அழகு. வெள்ளைத்தாமரைபோல வெள்ளை வண்ணத்துப்பூச்சி என்று நினைத்துக்கொண்டேன். அதன் தோற்றப்பின்னணியைச் சொல்லத் தொடங்கி, முழுநீள வரலாற்றுப்பின்னணியையே வழங்கியுள்ளீர்கள். மனிதர்கள் அறியாத பல அதிசயங்களை உள்ளடக்கியது இயற்கை என்னும் மகாசக்தி. நாம் அறியமுடியாத பல இயற்கை விபரீதங்களை அவை நமக்கு முன்பேயே அறிந்துகொள்ளும் ஆற்றல் உள்ளவை அவை. மனிதர்கள் அவற்றைப் போற்றி வணங்காவிட்டாலும் அவற்றின் அழிவுக்குக் காரணமாக இருக்காமல் இருந்தால் போதும் என்று தோன்றுகிறது. இறுதிப்பகுதியில் உள்ள சிறுகவிதை வழக்கம்போல அருமை. மிக்க மகிழ்ச்சி. வாழ்த்துகள். பாவண்ணன்
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Dr Raguram
10/2/2019 11:11:17 am
Mikka Nandri!
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Lakshmi S
9/9/2019 06:55:33 am
Quite an eye opener uncle and beautifully written!
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Dr Raguram
10/2/2019 11:11:43 am
Thanks Lakshmi!
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Prabhavathy
9/15/2019 06:44:03 am
Sir,
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Ajay
9/25/2019 11:46:56 pm
Enjoyed reading about the fascinating science behind a common garden visitor!
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Dr Raguram
10/2/2019 11:12:46 am
Thank You Ajay!
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Bhavani Hamann
10/1/2019 06:40:24 pm
In this crazy world, your beautiful writing reminds us to take a few moments to enjoy the small stuff, notice it’s beauty and then some more! Like the drones that were inspired by the insects very structure!
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Dr Raguram
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