Diversity and Larval Host Plant Relationships of Butterflies in Agro-Ecosystems of Cuddalore District, Tamil Nadu, India
B. Parthiban *
Department of Zoology, Government Arts College, B. Mutlur 608 102, Tamil Nadu, India.
B. Aruljothi
Department of Zoology, Government Arts College, B. Mutlur 608 102, Tamil Nadu, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The goal of the current study was to investigate the documentation of butterfly diversity and host plants from the ecosystem in Cuddalore District, Tamilnadu from June 2024 to March 2025. Adult butterflies deposit their eggs on particular larval host plants, which provide nourishment for caterpillars once they hatch. A total of 1551 individuals belong to 78 species of butterflies from 5 families. The family Nymphalidae had the highest number of recorded butterflies (25 species), followed by Lycaenidae (21 species), Pieridae (18 species), Papilionidae (8 species), and Hesperiidae (6 species). Nymphalidae (32.05%) and Lycaenidae (26.92%) have greater relative diversity – 23.07% for Pieridae and 10.25% for Papilionidae. The Hesperiidae family has the lowest value (7.69%). The study found that butterflies use 95 plant species from 21 families as their larval hosts. Future studies on the butterflies and their host plants will use this communication as baseline data. Because butterfly larvae rely on particular plants for food and growth, the conservation of butterfly host plants is crucial to maintaining butterfly populations. Biodiversity is preserved, and effective breeding is supported by the preservation and restoration of native host plants in both urban and natural settings. Additionally, conservation initiatives support pollinator diversity and environmental stability. To identify the important plant species necessary for butterfly survival, this study aims to examine the diversity and spatial distribution of butterfly larval host plants in the study area.
Keywords: Butterfly, diversity, larval host plant, ecosystem