Rare butterfly flies from Japan to Hong Kong

Difficulty: Summiteer (Level 3)

Researchers in Hong Kong have discovered that a rare butterfly has flown 3,000km (1,864 miles) from Japan. It set a new world record for the longest migration recorded for the species.

The butterfly is called the chestnut tiger, or Parantica sita. It was found in Repulse Bay by Ling Yuet-fung, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Hong Kong’s School of Biological Sciences.

A tag on its wing bore Japanese characters and the date August 18. The date indicates that it had been tagged and released in Fukushima four months earlier.

The adult male chestnut tiger was found to be at least 124 days old. It had travelled more than 3,000km, setting a record for the longest known migration of the species.

The species is known for long-distance migration. Marking or tagging their wings provides data about their movements, including distance travelled, flight path and lifespan.

The latest flight set a new distance record for the species and marked only the third time such a butterfly had been detected migrating from Japan to Hong Kong.

Ling released the butterfly back into the wild after recording its data.

It remains unclear whether Hong Kong was its final destination.

Quiz time

1. How far did the butterfly go?

2. What is the butterfly species called?

3. Where did the butterfly fly from?

4. What is this species known for?

The adult male chestnut tiger was found to be at least 124 days old. Photo: Yuet Fung Ling

Suggested answers

1. 3,000km

2. the chestnut tiger or Parantica sita

3. Fukushima, Japan

4. long-distance migration