A Checklist of Butterfly Diversity (Rhopalocera: Lepidoptera) in Dr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Himachal Pradesh, India
Aman Mahajan
Division of Genetics and Tree Improvement, ICFRE-Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India.
Ram Ajeet Chaudhary
*
Department of Entomology, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Aishwarya Ray
*
Forest Entomology Discipline, ICFRE-Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India.
Mubashir Rashid
Forest Entomology Discipline, ICFRE-Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India.
Divya Arora
Forest Ecology and Climate Change Division, ICFRE-Himalayan Forest Research Institute, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Butterflies of the order Lepidoptera are ecologically important insects widely recognized as effective bio-indicators due to their sensitivity to environmental changes. The present study was conducted to document the diversity and distribution of butterflies in the campus of Dr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh. Field surveys were carried out over a two-year period from October 2018 to September 2020, with regular observations between 7:00 AM and 11:00 AM. Butterflies were recorded through visual observations and photographic documentation using a DSLR camera, and species identification was confirmed using standard taxonomic literature and field guides. The survey recorded a total of 94 species belonging to 59 genera and 6 families: Riodinidae, Nymphalidae, Pieridae, Papilionidae, Lycaenidae, and Hesperiidae. Among these, Nymphalidae was the most dominant family, whereas Riodinidae had the lowest representation. The study provides baseline information for biodiversity conservation, ecological monitoring, and assessing environmental changes in semi-urban landscapes.
Keywords: Butterfly, diversity, bio-indicator, species, climate