Butterflies and moths belong to the order Lepidoptera (derived from the Greek words Lepis meaning wing) under the class of the animal kingdom. The first vague traces of these insects occur in the Cretaceous period (about 135 million years ago), and they appeared as a well developed order in the Tertiary era (about 65 million years ago). The Lepidoptera comprise about 220 thousand species of which nearly 45 thousand are butterflies. There is no region on earth that can offer a richer variety of butterflies than the tropics. The tropical forests, profusely adorned with elegant grasses, varieties of beatiful flowers amidst the verdant foliage are the haven of some of the most resplendent and exquisitely fascinating butterflies.

Few others insects can boast of wings as large or as beautiful as those of some of the butterflies as those of some of the butterflies'their soul and their very existence seem to be in their wings. According to the American naturalist, Donald Culross Peatties, 'Man with all his looms and dyes cannot create anything half so exquisite as a butterfly's wing'. At the same time butterflies are among the weakest creatures on earth and can exert little force against their enemies. Nature therefore has provided them with an ample measure of wiles which they use for survival. 'Protective resemblance' and 'mimicry' are two such specialisations resorted to by butterflies and months for self preservation. The most dramatic example of protective resemblance is seen in the beautiful kallima butterfly which at rest looks like a decayed leaf clining to the stem. The Viceroy butterfly mimics the inedible Monarch to escape from predators.

The sublime beauty of these winged wanders with their endless variety of hues and patterns has provided the theme for poetry and lore of bothe East and West. Their grace and beauty have inspired bards and artists of all ages to capture their essence in poetry and art. It is unfortunate, however, that many species of butterflies are in danger of extinction due to the ruthless devastation of their habitat by man. It is with a sense of stamps on four of the several species of butterflies endemic to the Indian Subcontinent. 1)Stichophthalma camadeva, 2) Cethosia biblis, 3) Cyrestis achates, and 4) Teinopalpus imperialis. ' Stichophthalma camadeva : This lovely large butterfly, sometimes referred to as the 'Northern Jungle Queen', measures 90 square centimeters in good speciments. It frequents the forested hilly regions of Sikkim from May to September. Being powerful, Camadeva holds its own against small predatores.

The markings and colours on its wings are predominantly shades of brown on the upperside and yellow on the under. Though normally conspicuous, they provide camouflage near the ground and among the dense vegetation where it flies. The first Day Cover depicts Papillio buddha, or the Malabar Banded Peacock, a member of the Swallowtail group. Unlike the closely related indian species Papilio blumei, 'ranked among the most delightful butterflies of the world', the Buddha renounced showmanship and is much admired by butterfly-lovers. It flies quickly and high, and can be seen through out the year, except in June and July, in the hill regions of southern India. The green caterpillars feed on Xanthoxylum rhetsa.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India