A Little Purple
Butterfly’s Search for
Nectar
An ecology picture book endearing to kids and adults alike.
This is the
picture book project of
National Yunlin University of Science and Technology
(YunTech), Taiwan.
Suitable for fourth-graders on up,
this educational book recounts the
amazing adventures of a friendly and resourceful butterfly.
By
presenting ecology and
environmentalism in a form accessible
to kids,
and delightful for all,
this
engaging book introduces readers to
butterfly ecology and
the challenges facing its preservation.
The overwintering migration
Like monarchs in American Continent, purple butterflies in Taiwan migrate south for the winter, relying on instinct and paper-thin wings to fly over 300 kilometers, thereby insuring the continuity of the species. The heroine of the story is Little Purple, a timid dwarf crow butterfly, a species in the purple butterfly family, who takes a long and arduous journey, during the course of which she overcomes all sorts of obstacles and cultivates the virtues of resourcefulness and perseverance.
Based on recent developments in the environmental movement in Taiwan, this picture book introduces environmentalism in a lively and engaging manner, and is enjoyable and educational for both children and adults alike. Readers gain not only admiration for Little Purple's resilience and perseverance, but also a greater appreciation of nature and all living beings.
This picture book was written in Chinese by Professor James H. Yang of the Department of Applied Foreign Languages at YunTech, in collaboration with Cheng-Gong Elementary School in Yunlin. In preparation for writing the book, Yang read a wide range of literature on the butterflies of Taiwan, including various publications by the entomologists Xu Yufeng, Lin Chunji, Chan Chia-lung, and Ma Xiaolan. However, these materials are mainly intended for high school students and include a wealth of detail that makes them far too difficult for elementary school students. As for children’s books, those written by Zhang Xuanjia and Yu Mizhen describe the ecology of the dwarf crow butterfly, but they don’t cover its migratory behavior; the inclusion of this fascinating natural phenomena is what makes the present book unique.
At the end of the book are 30 study questions and 20 educational
games. The English translation of the book provides interesting material
for learning English, while introducing the
overwintering purple butterfly family to
foreigners.
YunTech
Cheng-Gong Elementary School Butterfly
Museum
Our 2017 book Let's Fly Together! The Overwintering Adventure of A Little Purple Butterfly has its own website providing the information on overwintering purple butterflies and how the book came into being.
Suggestions for improvements are most
welcome.
The sequel
Discovering 7 + 9 Kinds of Nectar
was commenced in 2020 as a follow-up project.
What is the significance of “7 + 9” in the title?
Summary of the story
The new culture of environmentalism
Dwarf crow butterflies are mainly found at
lower altitudes. What they lack in beauty, they make up for in
fortitude. When the biting winds of winter begin to kill off other types
of butterflies, dwarf crows migrate to the balmy south, where they pass
the cold season in mountain valleys, staying warm by clustering on
branches. In addition to perseverance and stamina, Little Purple also
has a kind and generous heart, as repeatedly demonstrated throughout her
search for nectar in the service of her ailing friend. While following
their adventures, the reader learns about the 16 species of butterflies
endemic to Taiwan, including the
broad-tailed swallowtail (Agehana
maraho)—the national butterfly of
Taiwan—the threats they face, and the importance of habitat
conservation.
In contrast to the simple and bold illustrations found in Let's Fly Together! those in 7 + 9 are lifelike depictions of both flora and fauna. Each picture spans two consecutive pages, and each of the 16 butterfly species endemic to Taiwan are covered; some are depicted in various stages of the maturity cycle. Take, for example, the Magellan birdwing (Troides magellanus). With a wingspan of 14 cm, this is the largest butterfly in Taiwan, and is only found on the outlying island of Lanyu. The female is slightly larger than the male.
The large yellow markings
on the hindwings of the male take on a blue-green iridescence when
illuminated by sunlight at an oblique angle; hence it’s known as the
“luminous pearl” in Chinese. Due to habitat loss and the ongoing trade
in protected species, the Magellan birdwing is critically endangered,
prompting the government to join forces with conservationists to prevent
its extinction. Thus one of the objectives of this book is to raise
awareness of environmental issues, and to encourage readers to join in
the efforts to protect our fragile ecosystem
under the threats of human deforestation, pollution, and unsustainable
activities.
Image: Magellan birdwing (Troides magellanus)
1–3. Magellan birdwing (Troides magellanus,
female)
4–6. Magellan birdwing (Troides magellanus, male)
7. variable ladybug (Coelophora inaequalis)
8. brown rhinoceros beetle (Xylotrupes gideon)
9. Pachyrrhynchus sarcitis
10. Cereopsius shamankarriyali
11. Lema (Qausilema) trivittata
12. giant Asian mantis (Hierodula formosana)
13. nettleleaf velvetberry (Stachytarpheta urticifolia, nectar source)
14. Aristolochia zollingeriana (one of the main food sources of the
Magellan birdwing during its larval stage)
15. sea mango (Cerbera manghas, one of the main nectar sources of the
Magellan birdwing)
The realistic illustrations provide detailed images of both flora and fauna, including the rich colors of a butterfly which has recently emerged from its chrysalis, and are meant to assist in identifying butterflies. For example, the Magellan birdwing has the grey-white stripes on the forewings, and the female are larger than the male, but the yellow patches on the hind wings of the male are larger than those of the female, and they take on a blue-green iridescence when illuminated by sunlight at an oblique angle.
Image: Magellan birdwing (Troides
magellanus),
male on the left, female on the right
Most of the illustrations are made by Li Junyi and Liu Chu-liang. Layout and graphic design were provided by students from the College of Design at National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, including Liu Zongcheng, Xie Zongyou, Hou Shunjie, and Mei Jialun. The story was developed and elaborated by student teams from the Department of Applied Foreign Languages at National Yunlin University of Science and Technology. They were guided by Yang, who also integrated their participation into his courses Ecology Education and Practice (108-1), Language and Culture (108-2), Ecotourism Promotion (108-2), and Applied Linguistics and English Education (108-2). Yang is also the general editor, and the book is now about half complete.
The book is written in the style of a fable, with ecology as the central theme, which is elaborated in the latter section by discussion questions and games. It should be noted that in a number of illustrations there appear butterfly species which wouldn’t normally be found in the same place at the same time, but are presented together because they are closely related, or due to their similar appearance, so as to arouse the reader’s interest and encourage further exploration.
Picture book story
Below are some parts of the book’s illustrations,
depicting
the little purple
butterfly’s adventure
while looking for
a variety of floral honeys to cure the illness of her friend,
and the sky begins to brighten,
soon after eclosion,
it’s high time to get the hang of flying!
Which of the above is
a dwarf crow butterfly?
The dwarf crow butterfly is on the right; its wingspan is about 6 cm.
The butterfly on the left is a striped blue crow (Euploea mulciber);
its wingspan is about 8 cm.
Was your guess correct?
Just as the supine firefly reaches his wits’ end,
The butterfly that just comes out of enclosion,
a dwarf crow butterfly (Euploea tulliolus),
flutters nearby, noticing his distress,
whereupon she swiftly alights and turns him upright.
“Ah, how nice it is to have my feet firmly planted on the ground once
again!”
declares the firefly in a tone of much relief, turning towards the
butterfly
and saying in a soft voice,
“Thanks so much for saving me, but . . . in
fact, I’m on my way out.”
“What do you mean by that?” replies the baffled butterfly.
“Just look at me; my left leg is swollen red, I can barely see with my
right eye,
my shoulders hurt, and . . . I could go on, but let’s leave it at that,”
bemoans the firefly before falling silent.
Not knowing what to say to the disconsolate firefly, and
disinclined to
make nosey inquiries, the butterfly
also falls silent, waiting for the firefly to open up about what’s
troubling him.
After remaining silent for some time, the firefly deeply sighs and says,
“Okay, I’d might as well tell you my story.
Not long ago I happily lived next to a nearby paddy field,
where I enjoyed playing with all my friends—the bees, the ladybugs, the dragonflies, the damselflies, the beetles,
and the scarabs....”
“Then one day one of the ladybugs died, one of the scarabs became
paralyzed,
and I myself fell ill. Afterwards we discovered that the water in the
paddy field
was
what was causing all the trouble, and all of my remaining friends
who
were able to move decided to leave.
I don’t expect to get better. And just look at me; I’m a firefly, but I
no longer glow!
Every day at dusk I used to start glowing like a lamp, illuminating the
dark forest
and guiding my friends home, but now I light up no more,”
ruefully sobs
the teary-eyed firefly.
At a loss as to how to help, all the butterfly can do is hope that
sharing his sad story will somehow do the firefly some good.
Thereupon it suddenly occurs to the butterfly that
they had best go to the nearby forest and beseech the old sacred tree
living there for assistance,
and the firefly readily agrees.
Before long they are in the presence of the sacred tree, whereupon the butterfly says in a reverential tone, “Venerable Sacred Tree, I’m Little Purple, and this is . . .” “You can call me ‘Glowy,’” softly interjects the firefly.
After diagnosing Glowy, the sacred tree calmly says, “You’ve been poisoned by insecticides, but there’s an effective antidote; it consists of 16 types of nectar.”
Thereupon Little Purple says, “Great!
I know where to find some Eupatorium
clematideum; its nectar is my favorite!”
Then she flies away immediately to pick the nectar.
Image: Purple butterfly family that can overwinter in Taiwan
Arriving at the Valley of the Purple Butterflies, Little Purple finds
the caretaker, a Taiwan large crow
butterfly, and asks for permission to gather some nectar
for her sick friend.
“Mighty pleased to learn about your mission for the sake of your ill
friend.
The Eupatorium clematideum in our flower garden is a family secret, . .
.”
replies the caretaker.
“I know,” interrupts Little Purple.
Taking a deep breath, the caretaker continues,
“While gathering the nectar, you have to use all your limbs, and you
have to move quickly;
don’t dally, and keep an eye out on all sides, because . . .”
“Okay, don’t worry; I’m an expert at gathering nectar,”
interjects Little Purple as she flies off without delay.
Busily gathering nectar, Little Purple suddenly feels her hind wing
being pulled downwards,
whereupon she discovers that she is being preyed on by a Dolomedes
saganus spider,
but manages to fly off just in the nick of time.
Arriving at the caretaker’s home, still in a state of shock, she tells him about her close call, whereupon he calmly replies, “Lucky you’re okay. What I was trying to tell you when you abruptly rushed off, was that there quite a few Dolomedes saganus spiders lurking in the flower garden, waiting for a chance to launch a sneak attack.”
After thanking the caretaker for the warning, Little Purple cautiously
returns to the garden
to continue gathering nectar. Having quickly filled her container with
nectar,
she flies back to where Glowy is waiting. He takes it and soon begins to
feel better.
Then the sacred tree gives Little Purple
three precious gifts,
to be used when the need arises: a small pouch filled with its fresh
leaves,
a jar full of the morning dew which has rolled off its leaves,
and a
vile filled with its essential oil.
As they are about to depart, the sacred tree tells them,
“Be sure to visit my friend the Amblopala avidiena butterfly; he lives behind the mountain, not far from here, in a place which is filled with gorgeous cherry blossoms in the spring; ou’ll recognize him by the Y-shaped markings on his wings.” Filled with eager expectation, Little Purple says goodbye to the sacred tree and sets off, with Glowy in tow.
Image: broad-tailed swallowtail (Agehana maraho)
Little Purple catches sight of a brook up ahead in the distance,
and faintly hears the high-pitched chirping of a bird.
As the birdcall gradually gets louder, she suddenly spots its source,
a sapphire-blue silhouette
perched on a rock in the brook, and urgently shouts,
“Oh no, it’s a kingfisher; let’s get out of here while we still have a
chance!”
But just as she spreads her wings in preparation to fly off,
a big
butterfly grabs hold of her leg,
while providing a stern warning,
“Hold on! If you fly up into the sky you’ll be a sitting duck; quick,
follow me!”
Passing through a thicket of multicolored flowering shrubs,
they take refuge in a cluster of flowers below a small tree.
“This looks like a safe place to hide out for a while,” says Little
Purple,
gently flapping her wings to shake off the pollen
they picked up on the
way through the thicket,
adding, “Thanks so much for coming to our rescue!
I’m Little Purple, and this is Glowy. Who are you?”
“Nothing to thank! I’m Akuan; glad to meet you.”
“So, you must be a broad-tailed
swallowtail butterfly,”
declares the pleasantly surprised Little Purple,
“You’re the legendary butterfly who comes and goes without a trace,
like a solitary swordsman dwelling alone in the mountains.
Now that I see for myself your rear-protruding hind wings and red
crescent mottles,
it’s clear that your reputation is well deserved.”
“No need for such flattery. Where have you come from, and where are you
going?”
Learning about their mission in search of nectar, filled with admiration, the swallowtail repeatedly nods his head, then points to a nearby flower thicket and says, “This shrub is called ‘rough-leaved hydrangea.’ Its purple and white flowers are now in bloom, and it’s my favorite source of nectar.” Then the swallowtail flies up to take a look around.
Discovering that the kingfisher has departed, he invites his guests to partake of the nectar. Noticing Little Purple’s puzzlement at not finding any nectar amongst the big white blossoms, the swallowtail flashes a knowing smile and explains, “Oh, I forgot to mention that the white blossoms don’t have any nectar; they’re just for looks. All the nectar is in the small purple ones,” filling Little Purple with wonder and amazement. Thereupon, they all enjoy a hearty feast of delicious nectar.
Image: Orange oakleaf butterfly (Kallima inachus)
Little Purple and Glowy set out on the next leg of their journey. Looking up and catching a glimpse of a warbling white-eye perched on a limb —“Watch out!”—Little Purple grabs hold of Glowy, flies down to ground level, and hides under a pile of leaves, where she whispers with much relief, “Don’t worry, he didn’t see us.”
Thereupon they hear a mysterious voice, “Who are you, and why are you poking me like that?” “Terribly sorry about that,” says Little Purple, realizing that they have inadvertently taken refuge underneath an orange oakleaf butterfly....
At the end of the story....
More than 30 questions for testing reading comprehension and stimulating
inquiry. Below are some of the questions:
*How did he recover?
*What is the favorite nectar source of Little Purple, the dwarf crow
butterfly?
*What is unique about the hindwings of the broad-tailed swallowtail?
*Is it the male or female Magellan birdwing whose hindwings
take on an iridescent glow?
*When not in motion, the orange oakleaf butterfly looks exactly like a
withered leaf. How many of these camouflaged butterflies can you find in
the ecological picture?
*Which of Little Purple’s adventures did you like the most? Why?
*What kind of butterfly do you think Little Purple is?
Learning game pictures
Below are some samples of the 20-plus learning games for deepening the reader’s understanding of ecology and environmental issues. Do give them a try!
*What are the similarities and differences between these two butterflies? The left one is the Magellan birdwing (Troides magellanus, female), with a wingspan of 14 cm, the largest butterfly in Taiwan, and is only found on the outlying island of Lanyu. The right one is the golden birdwing (Troides aeacus, female), with a wingspan of 12 cm, the largest butterfly on the island of Taiwan.
*Both of the butterflies below are broad-tailed swallowtails, with a wingspan of about 11 cm. Which one is alive, and which one is a specimen on display? Hint: specimens are displayed with their wings spread completely open, whereas living butterflies are rarely seen in this manner.
*Do the butterflies below all belong to the same species? Actually, they don’t; the one on the left is mimicking one of the other two; which one? The one on the left is a Danaid Eggfly (Hypolimnas misippus, female), with a wingspan of about 6.5 cm; the one in the middle is a common tiger (Danaus genutia), with a wingspan of about 6 cm; and the one on the right is a plain tiger (Danaus chrysippus), with a wingspan of about 7.5 cm. Why do butterflies of different species mimic one another?
*Below is an orange oakleaf butterfly (Kallima inachus), with a wingspan of about 9 cm; the topside of its wings is brightly colored. On the right is how it looks with its wings folded up. While resting on a tree limb, this butterfly usually hangs upside down. Why?
*Below is a Taiwan large crow (Euploea phaenareta) with a wingspan of about 10 cm. Why did this species go extinct in the 1960s? One reason was habitat loss; what’s the other?
At the end of
2021, we authorized Morning Star Publishing Inc.
to publish
our picture book
sequel
in June
2023.
Morning Star
Publishing Inc.
E-mail：huiya@morningstar.com.
TEL:886-4-235-5820
#268
Listening together
One of the objectives of this book is to raise awareness of environmental issues, and to encourage readers to join in the efforts to protect Taiwan’s fragile ecosystem. The sense of joy and wonder generated while reading the book, in combination with the inherent wonder of the childlike mind, inspires readers to care for the natural world and to live in balance and harmony with nature.
We have held three related activities, featuring
storytelling, games, and guided tours of butterfly habitats.
0601/2020: Picture Book House, Douliu City
0709/2020: Xinguang Elementary School, Yunlin County
0426/2021: Yuanzhang Elementary School, Yunlin County
In 2020 we also conducted three volunteer training courses
at National Yunlin University of Science and Technology:
0919,1024,1122
We plan to continue organizing
related events
featuring storytelling and environmental education.
Volunteers are always welcome.
Below are photos of our earlier storytelling sessions.
Every experience in life
leaves an indelible mark on
the soul.
Chenggong Elementary School, Yunlin County
Chenggong Elementary School, Yunlin County
Shuidui Elementary School, Yunlin County
Xinguang Elementary School, Yunlin County
Xinguang Elementary School, Yunlin County
Jiuliao Elementary School, Pingdong County
Picture Book House, Douliu City
Picture Book House, Douliu City
Picture Book House, Douliu City
Golden Bat House, Yunlin County
Daohu Bookstore, Chiayi City
Cultural Bureau, Chiayi City
Jingzhong New Community, Chiayi City
Jingzhong New Community, Chiayi City
Banboo Learning Center, Nantou County
Taliwu Picture Book House, Dounan Township
Yunlin Story House, Yunlin County
YunTech
YunTech
YunTech
YunTech
***Volunteer with us!***
All like-minded people are invited to join our team of friendly volunteers in conducting environmental education events at elementary schools, cultural centers, and beyond. Let’s join hands in educating the upcoming generation of eco-warriors!
Welcome to join our eco-edutaining picture book project.
To be a volunteer sharing your passion with others,
please send an e-mail to:
purplebutterflyschool@gmail.com
Team members
James H. Yang, Author
Lee Junyi, Illustration designer
Liu Juliang, Illustration designer
Yang Zongru, Butterfly consultant
Liu Wenxu, Image editor
Xie Zongyou, Animation sample designer
We've authorized Morning Star Publishing Inc.
to publish
our picture book
in June
2022.
Morning Star
Publishing Inc.
E-mail：huiya@morningstar.com.
TEL:886-4-235-5820
#268
Exhibition of the butterfly paintings