The Yangmingshan National Park has lush vegetation, nurturing a rich variety of flora and fauna, among which the colorful butterflies easily attract the attention of visitors. According to historical surveys, to date Yangmingshan National Park has recorded five families and 180 species of butterflies, accounting for 43% of Taiwan’s butterfly population. Every year in early summer nectar plants such as the Formosan Thistle, the Angelica dahurica and the Eupatorium shimadai bloom, attracting more than ten different kinds of Milkweed butterflies to feed and flutter. The number of the Chestnut tiger butterfly and the Parantica swinhoei butterflies peak around May or June, creating the beautiful scene of hundreds of butterflies fluttering in the sky.

Yangmingshan National Park Headquarters Director-General Yong-Fa Lin along with the Headquarters has arranged the “2012 Yangmingshan Butterfly Festival—Butterflies Dancing Over Grass Mountain” series of events will be held from May 1 to July 31, including the “Milkweed Butterfly Ecology Photography Exhibit”, the “Milkweed Butterfly Ecology Exhibition”, the “Butterfly Ecology Field Trip”, the “Mt. Datun Butterfly Viewing Spectacular”, the “Yangmingshan Insect Video Show”, the “Insect Tour at Tianxiyuan Park”, the “Making DIY Butterfly Craft with Primary School Students”, the “Visiting Butterflies”, the “Butterfly Viewing Romantic Tour” and many others.

This year the Headquarters is launching the special “Milkweed Butterfly Ecology Photography Exhibit” from May 26 to July 31 at the Yangmingshan National Park Visitor Center. The “Milkweed Butterfly Ecology Exhibition” will also be on display from May 26 to July 31 at the Datun Visitor Center. Do you want to visit Mt. Datun and join in with the butterflies and the flowers? Registration for the “Mt. Datun Butterfly Viewing Spectacular” takes place in person daily from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM at the Erziping Visitor Center from May 26 to June 24. The tour is led by a professional nature guide and explores the mysteries of the butterfly kingdom. For relevant information, please visit the ‘Butterfly Festival’ section of the Yangmingshan National Park Headquarters website.

We would like to remind visitors to please use public transportation. Yangmingshan National Park can be reached via bus 260 or Red 5 from MRT Jiantan Station or bus S 8 from Shipai Station. Visitors can also take bus S 9 or bus 230 from MRT Beitou Station to the Yangmingshan Bus Terminal and change to shuttle bus 108 for the Erziping stop. For more traffic and public transportation information, please visit the Yangmingshan National Park Headquarter’s website.

http://www.ymsnp.gov.tw/nweb/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=41&gp=0&Itemid=158