Seasonal Variation in Diversity of Butterflies in Kelo Dam Park of Raigarh District, Chhattisgarh, India
Vinita Pandey
Kirodimal Govt Arts and Science College, Raigarh (C.G.), India.
Rajesh Kumar Rai *
Government Mahamaya College, Ratanpur, Bilaspur (C.G.), India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Butterflies have served as vital bioindicators of ecosystem health. Previously, Rabo Dam in Raigarh district was scientifically evaluated for butterfly diversity, and the Kelo Dam was explored for ichthyofaunal biodiversity in the study site. The present study assessed the seasonal variation in butterfly diversity at Kelo Dam in Raigarh district, Chhattisgarh. This research aimed to assess regional butterfly diversity in Raigarh district. The systematic field surveys were conducted throughout the year during the present study. The phenological periods were divided into summer, monsoon, post-monsoon, and winter. The study documented 53 species, with Nymphalidae as the dominant family (20 species), followed by Lycaenidae (11 species), Pieridae (10 species) and Papilionidae (9 species). Hesperiidae was observed as least represented family (3 species). The summer season exhibited the lowest species richness (18 species) while monsoon season triggered significant recovery in butterfly diversity. The post-monsoon period indicated that the study site supported the highest abundance and species retention. The present findings answered ecological significance of Kelo Dam as a biodiversity refuge and provide a baseline for understanding how butterfly assemblages respond to seasonal dynamics in industrialised zones.
Keywords: Butterfly diversity, seasonal variation, bio-indicators, Kelo Dam Park