Jumalon's Butterflies

Even as a child my fascination for butterflies was one of awe and wonder. They never cease to amaze me. I always marvel watching these little creatures hover around the gardens with beautiful colors on their wings. It was always a refreshing sight for a little boy filled with colorful imaginations. When I started to collect stamps, among my early collections was that of butterflies which to this day I have kept and treasured.

I used to hear people talking about these beautiful insects found in the Butterfly Sanctuary owned by the late Professor Julian Jumalon but I never had the time to check it out until my friend Osman Jumalon, the professor's son invited me.

The Jumalon Butterfly Sanctuary, one of Cebu’s tourist attractions is home to 54 butterfly species and scores of moths and fauna. Situated on a 1,460 square meter compound which also houses the Jumalon Art and Entomological Museum, it has been at the forefront in fostering environmental awareness as well as alternative tourism, with people from different nations of varied ages visiting the site for more than three decades.

Professor Jumalon has named more than 20 accepted butterfly species and subspecies. The Chilasa Osmana, a butterfly found in St. Bernard, Southern Leyte was named after Osman while three more butterflies, the Papillo daedalus, junonia, and nepheronia were named after three of his children.

Jumalon's butterflies also appeared on different issues of Philippine stamps. Top most photo features Osman Jumalon with a painting done by his father using butterfly wings, and the stamp of the Chilasa Osmana Osmana butterfly that is named after him. Second photo highlights a Troides Magellanus butterfly inside the sanctuary and its stamp.