"Mothley"-Art in Bandra

Often, you can spot the moths at the fruit-sellers in Mumbai. Moths have intriguing color patterns on their wings. But unlike butterflies which make everybody ooh-and-ha, moths provoke a shrinking withdrawal -- possibly because their bodies are heavier and hairier. Even kids who do not know the difference between a moth and butterfly often shrink.

I recall, when we had just moved into Kandivli Thakur Village, we used to see the large Atlas and Moon moths inside the buildings -- a foot long wing span. Jaw dropping! We used to get a pandemonium (btw that is what a group of parrots is called:)of parrots at our windows. But that stopped once the human population in that area grew and it became over-crowded and polluted and traffic-jammed!

While writing this blog, I found out, happily that if there are moths in your area, it means the place is less toxic (see the article in the link I've given) because according to lepidopterist V. Shubhalaxmi moth population contains mosquito population. Another article, attributed to naturalist Isaac Kehimkar says that they are crucial for pollinating food plants.

Overuse of pesticides will kill off these insects crucial for ecology, including in an urbanscape.

So, yes, Bandra still has a green heart. Let's keep it that way!