THERE are people who choose a quieter path in life — one shaped not by noise or speed, but by patience, curiosity and a close connection with nature.
For young Zimbabwean naturalist James Wakefield, that path has been defined by butterflies.
What began as a childhood fascination has grown into a lifelong commitment to understanding and conserving some of Zimbabwe’s most delicate species.
While many people see butterflies as fleeting flashes of colour, Wakefield sees something deeper: indicators of environmental health, intricate examples of nature’s design and an essential part of Zimbabwe’s biodiversity.
A butterfly sanctuary
At his family home in Greendale, Harare, Wakefield has created a protected environment where butterflies can breed and thrive away from predators.
“In a sense, it is like farming, but a lot of what I am doing is finding caterpillars, eggs or pupae and rearing them to discover what adult butterflies they become,” Wakefield said.
“There are many purposes for this. It helps in researching the life cycle of butterflies, understanding what caterpillars look like at different stages, and studying genetics and colour variations in different species.”
Zimbabwe is home to more than 500 recorded butterfly species, some of which are endemic and found nowhere else in the world.
Many thrive in the Eastern Highlands, where forests and indigenous vegetation provide ideal habitats.
For Wakefield, however, butterfly conservation is not simply about preserving insects.
It is about protecting ecosystems and encouraging people to reconnect with the natural world.
A fascination born in childhood
Wakefield’s fascination with butterflies began while he was in Grade 7.
By then, he had already developed an interest in wildlife through family visits to national parks and participation in Zimbabwe’s national wildlife quiz competitions.
“We have amazing wildlife in our beautiful country of Zimbabwe,” he said.
“I enjoyed going to national parks with my family when we were younger, visiting places like Lake Chivero and learning about nature.”
His curiosity gradually evolved into hands-on conservation work.
Wakefield began collecting caterpillars and learning how to rear them into adulthood.
Over time, he discovered that each butterfly species depends on specific indigenous plants to survive.
“And so I started growing the plants they needed and planting indigenous trees,” he said.
“It was when I was about 15 that I first started catching butterflies, finding caterpillars and slowly learning how to more effectively rear different species using different plants.”
Butterfly conservation, sometimes referred to as butterfly farming, is practised in different parts of the world as both a sustainable livelihood and conservation strategy.
Science and education
Butterflies are raised from eggs or caterpillars in controlled environments and supplied to exhibitions, research centres and collectors.
Wakefield’s focus, however, is primarily scientific and educational.
His interests lie in documenting the complete life cycle of species and understanding their role within ecosystems.
Caterpillars pass through several developmental stages, known as instars, shedding their skin as they grow.
According to Wakefield, these stages can reveal significant variations in colour and patterns, making careful observation important for both research and conservation.
“The different instars can have different colours and patterns, so documenting the whole life cycle becomes important from both a scientific and conservation perspective,” he said.
His efforts reached a peak in 2022, when he had more time to dedicate to butterfly rearing.
During his university industrial attachment, Wakefield secured an internship at a butterfly research station in Peru’s Amazon rainforest.
The experience exposed him to South American butterfly species and broadened his understanding of conservation and research methods.
“It was amazing working in the Amazon rainforest,” he said.
“It gave me the opportunity to see butterflies from a completely different part of the world and learn more about breeding and rearing caterpillars for scientific research.”
Inspiring the next generation
The internship reinforced Wakefield’s belief that young people should become more involved in nature conservation.
“I would hope there would be more younger children and more people who, like me in Grade 7, are learning about nature and wanting to expand their knowledge,” he said.
Part of Wakefield’s work also focuses on education.
He maintains a butterfly flight house where visitors, particularly children, can observe butterflies in a controlled environment.
“Having a flight house where butterflies can fly around freely is really good for teaching children about nature,” he said.
Challenges of butterfly rearing
Butterfly conservation comes with major challenges.
One of the biggest threats is the presence of parasitoid wasps, which naturally regulate butterfly populations in the wild by laying eggs inside caterpillars or butterfly eggs.
“In nature, most caterpillars never become adult butterflies because of parasites,” Wakefield explained.
“If you want to rear butterflies successfully, you have to protect them in controlled environments.”
Disease outbreaks also pose constant risks, especially when caterpillars are kept in enclosed spaces.
“If caterpillars are kept inside containers, diseases can spread very quickly,” he said.
“You have to be diligent about cleaning. Sometimes you can lose almost all your caterpillars within days, and it feels like all the work has been lost.”
Most butterflies live for only two to three weeks as adults, although some species survive for up to two months.
For Wakefield, butterflies symbolise the delicate balance within ecosystems, and their presence or absence often reflects the condition of the environment.
“Butterflies are indicator species,” he said.
“They show us the quality of the habitat and surrounding environment. We need to conserve not just the butterflies, but the entire habitat they rely on.”
Deforestation threatens biodiversity
Wakefield believes deforestation is one of the greatest threats to Zimbabwe’s biodiversity.
The country continues to experience high levels of deforestation caused by land clearing, fuelwood harvesting, settlement expansion and veld fires.
Indigenous forests are disappearing in many areas, reducing habitats for insects, birds and other wildlife.
“If we want to conserve butterflies and nature, we need to conserve our trees and replant the right indigenous species in the right places,” he said.
He warned that unless stronger action is taken, future generations may lose the opportunity to experience Zimbabwe’s natural heritage.
“We want our children and grandchildren to also enjoy Zimbabwe’s natural environment,” he said.
Experts weigh in
Curator of entomology at the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe, Dorothy Madamba, said Zimbabwe possesses remarkable butterfly diversity, particularly in the Eastern Highlands.
“Zimbabwe is incredibly rich when it comes to butterflies,” she said.
“We have hundreds of species. Some of the more recognisable ones include the African Monarch and the Swallowtails, which are not only beautiful but also ecologically important.”
Madamba said habitat loss remains the biggest challenge affecting butterfly populations.
“As land is cleared for farming or development, butterflies lose both their food sources and breeding grounds,” she said.
“Climate change is also disrupting seasonal patterns, while pesticide use can be especially harmful to caterpillars.”
She emphasised that butterflies are important pollinators and indicators of ecosystem health.
“When butterfly populations decline, it usually signals that something in the ecosystem is out of balance,” she said.
Madamba encouraged communities to take practical conservation steps such as planting indigenous vegetation and reducing pesticide use.
“Even something as simple as planting indigenous plants in your garden can make a difference,” she said.
She also encouraged citizens to contribute to biodiversity monitoring through platforms such as iNaturalist by sharing photographs and observations of butterfly species.
Environment, Climate and Wildlife ministry deputy director for communication and advocacy Joyce Chapungu said butterflies are an important part of Zimbabwe’s ecosystems and deserve protection.
“These insects are not a sideshow in our ecosystems,” Chapungu said.
“They are part of the working machinery and reliable indicators of ecosystem health.”
She warned that much of Zimbabwe’s natural habitat remains outside formal protection and continues to face pressure from human activities such as veld fires, charcoal burning, fuelwood harvesting and urban expansion.
Chapungu said communities should be supported to establish small, regulated butterfly projects with technical assistance from institutions such as the Forestry Commission, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, the Environmental Management Agency and universities.
As Zimbabwe faces mounting ecological pressures, conservationists say protecting butterflies may ultimately mean protecting the health of the environment itself.