Three evening walkers discovered a rare species of moth in the forests of Canary Hill in Hazaribagh on Tuesday.
Mithilesh Kumar and his two friends, Jitendra Singh and Jitendra Kumar were walking on Kutcha road around this picturesque hill when they saw the moth, which was later identified as a Luna moth (Actias luna).
Mithilesh said he had frequented the area for his evening walks but had never come across something like this before.
Independent researcher Mritunjay Sharma, known for his various discoveries at Canary Hill as well as in the district, said he had spotted the species once in the past ten years.
Talking to The Telegraph Online, Sharma said that sighting the creature is a rare moment, adding that it was a matter of joy that evening walkers were showing curiosity and clicking pictures after
sighting rare creatures.
The moths themselves are not uncommon, but are rarely seen due to their very brief, 7–10 day adult lives and nocturnal flying time.
“It’s one of the most beautiful moths, with its long curving tails and pale green wings, each with transparent eyespots,” Sharma said, adding that the moth comes in three colours.
Mithilesh, who is a teacher, lives in Prem Nagar colony near Vinoba Bhave University, and the hill is close to his house.
“At first I had mistaken the moth for a butterfly with tails and clicked pictures. However, I soon came to know that it’s a moth,” he said, adding that he was happy to see such a beautiful creature for the first time.
Sharma said Canary hill is a place full of surprises.
“I discovered a few beautiful butterflies here, including the Peacock Pansy,” he said.
Regarding the presence of rare moths and butterflies at Canary Hill, Sharma said it is possible that the British, attracted by the greenery and beauty of this place, had brought and released these creatures here.