What If All the Butterflies Vanished?

By Anoop Jaipurkar

Little Ashlesha had been holding on to a big question for a long time. She loved walking in nature, surrounded by tall trees and chirping birds, but something inside her made her feel uneasy. One fine morning, during a children’s nature walk at Durga Tekdi in Nigdi, she finally let it out.

“Aniket dada,” she said softly to the walk leader, “what will happen if all the butterflies vanish from our Earth?”

For a moment, everything went quiet. The other kids stopped in their tracks, surprised by such a serious question. But Aniket smiled gently and said, “That’s a very important question, Ashlesha. Let’s walk and talk about it.”

As the group wandered through the green trails of Durga Tekdi, Aniket shared amazing facts about trees, birds, and the secrets of the forest. The children laughed, climbed trees, ran through the paths, and learned things they had never imagined.

Ashlesha stayed quiet but listened closely. Her mind kept going back to her question about butterflies. Later, when Aniket asked if anyone had more questions, Ashlesha gathered courage, looked up and asked shyly once again, “What happens if all the butterflies vanish from our Earth?”

Aniket saw the question coming. “Butterflies, like all other insects, are very important. They help plants grow by spreading pollen — this is called pollination. Without this, many fruits and vegetables wouldn’t grow, and we would have less food. If butterflies disappear, it would affect birds, animals, and even humans. They are part of a big nature puzzle — remove one piece, and everything gets messed up!”

He continued, “Butterflies also tell us if nature is doing well. When their numbers drop, it’s a sign that something is wrong — like pollution or climate change. So yes, we really need butterflies and insects to survive.”

Ashlesha’s eyes lit up. “I didn’t know they were that important! I promise I’ll never hurt an insect again. And I’ll plant more flowers to invite butterflies to my garden!”

Aniket smiled warmly. “That’s the spirit, Ashlesha. Every small action makes a big difference.”

P.S. Want to explore nature like Ashlesha did? Join Aniket and his team of nature lovers on one of their fun and educational nature walks in and around Pune.

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