India GOButterflies of Pune
Pune's signature butterfly is the blue mormon, a big black-and-blue swallowtail that Maharashtra chose in 2015 as India's first state butterfly. It turns up in city gardens wherever citrus grows, but the richest butterfly country is west of the city, along the Western Ghats, during the monsoon and just after it. Rather than a butterfly park, look in the hills and gardens; the “Butterfly Park” most searches turn up is a trampoline centre.
Blue mormon
Declared the state butterfly of Maharashtra on 22 June 2015, the first state butterfly in India. It is easiest to find along the Ghat roads west of Pune after the rains.
Papilio polymnestor
Fireflies
Firefly-watching has become an organised season in parts of Maharashtra, with forest-department rules about lights, noise and where vehicles may stop.
Abscondita spp. / Lampyridae
The blue mormon, Maharashtra's state butterfly
The Indian blue mormon (Papilio polymnestor) was declared the state butterfly of Maharashtra on 22 June 2015, making Maharashtra the first Indian state to name one. With a wingspan of 120–150 mm it is the fourth-largest butterfly in India. The upper wings are velvety black; the hindwings are pale blue with rows of black spots, and the underside carries small patches of red at the base.
It flies all year but is commonest in the monsoon and immediately after it. Its caterpillars feed on citrus and related plants, which is why it appears in gardens and wooded parts of big cities, Pune included. Adults visit flowers such as ixora, jasmine and mussaenda, bask in the sun and gather at damp ground to drink minerals, the easiest moment to get a close look. The caterpillar disguises itself as a bird dropping.
Where to look
The Ghat roads west of Pune. These are the easiest place to find the blue mormon after the rains: the routes out towards Mulshi and Tamhini Ghat, which run with water from June to September, cross the high-rainfall Ghat country where the species is most common.
Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary, about 120 km from Pune on the Ghat crest, is part of the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, and its fauna surveys record a rich set of butterflies alongside reptiles, amphibians and the Indian giant squirrel. The forest walk is best from July to February; see nature trips from Pune.
Inside the city, the green hills and old gardens are the places to watch: Vetal Tekdi, the city's wild hill, and the old trees of the Empress Botanical Garden. No butterfly checklist for these spots is given here, so treat a sighting as a bonus.
When to go
Pune's monsoon runs from June to September, with the most rain in June and July (about 180–190 mm a month) and rain days dropping off through October. The blue mormon is commonest in the rains and right after them, so September to November, when the hills are still green but the downpours ease, is the comfortable window for butterfly walks. From March to May the plateau dries out and heats up to 36–38 °C.
Fireflies and a trampoline park
The other insect season around Pune is the fireflies. Firefly watching has become an organised season in parts of Maharashtra, with forest-department rules about lights, noise and where vehicles may stop. If you go, ask locally which rules apply where you are.
Not to confuse: “Butterfly Trampoline Park”, which tops searches for a butterfly park in Pune, is a chain of indoor trampoline parks with branches in Hinjewadi and Kharadi, not a garden.
FAQ
What is the state butterfly of Maharashtra?
The blue mormon (Papilio polymnestor), declared on 22 June 2015; Maharashtra was the first Indian state to name a state butterfly.
When is the best time to see butterflies near Pune?
During the monsoon and just after it; September to November is the most comfortable, with green hills and less rain.
Is there a butterfly park in Pune?
No official source confirms a dedicated butterfly park in Pune. The “Butterfly Trampoline Park” in Hinjewadi and Kharadi is a trampoline centre.
Where can I see the blue mormon near Pune?
Along the Ghat roads west of the city after the rains, and in gardens where citrus grows; it also flies in Bhimashankar's forest.
Sources (3)
Facts checked: 15 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.
The full catalogue, hidden spots and districts on the map, plus “nearby” mode.
Open in India GO