A targeted conservation campaign led by the Dapeng New District administration has successfully facilitated the wild breeding of China’s largest butterfly, the Common Birdwing.

　　Officials from the Shenzhen Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau’s Dapeng Administration confirmed that larvae of the rare species have successfully pupated and emerged as butterflies on newly planted host vines, flying into the district’s surrounding hills.

　　The success is attributed to a strategic project supported by the Dapeng Ecological Civilization Construction Public Welfare Fund. Working with researchers from the South China Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, district authorities oversaw the planting of Aristolochia tagala – a vital host plant commonly known as Indian birthwort – along designated survey lines.

　　This proactive habitat restoration has proven effective, with researchers observing the direct life-cycle progression of the butterflies in the wild. The Common Birdwing, a National Class II protected species, is considered a key indicator of regional biodiversity.

The Common Birdwing. Photo from iDapeng WeChat account

　　The district’s systematic approach to environmental management is underscored by a three-year continuous survey launched in 2022. To date, Dapeng has recorded 174 butterfly species, accounting for nearly 79% of Shenzhen’s total butterfly diversity. This includes two protected birdwing species: the Golden Birdwing and the Common Birdwing.

　　Following this initial success, Dapeng officials have announced plans to expand the cultivation of host plants and deepen research into butterfly habits, aiming to cement the district's status as an ecological haven for the species.