J.

Env. Bio-Sci., 2011, Vol. 25 (2): 273-278

(273)

ISSN 0973-6913 (Print), ISSN 0976-3384 (On Line)

BUTTERFLY DIVERSITY OF DISTRICT NAINITAL UTTARAKHAND (INDIA)

Rakhi Tyagi, P.C. Joshi and Naveen C. Joshi*
Dept. of Zoology and Environmental Sciences
Gurukula Kangri University, Haridwar (U.K.)
*Dept. of S.H.M. Amrapali Institute of Technology and Sciences, Haldwani
The present study was carried out during 2006-2008 to explore the butterfly diversity of district Nainital in Kumaon region
of Uttarakhand state. A total of 2312 individuals were collected during the study period, representing 76 species of 15 families.
Pieridae was the most dominant family contributing 22 species (28.94%) of total species reported. The other families recorded
from the study area included Nymphalidae (18), Noctuidae (6), Danaidae (5), Lycaenidae (5), Papilionidae (4), Satyridae (3), Eupterotidae
(2), Hesperiidae (1), Geometridae (1), Pyrulidae (1), Lymantridae (1), Syntomidae (1), Crambidae (1) and Acraeidae (1). The mean
Shannon diversity (H') was 1.3185 and 1.3195, for 2006-07 and 2007-08, respectively.

The order Lepidoptera which contains the butterflies and moths is the second largest insect order with 1,40,000
species reported from all over the world of which 12,000 are butterflies. They have great aesthetic value and many species are
much sought after because of their marvelous appearance. The immature and adult stages of butterflies depend entirely on
plants and hence are economically and ecologically important. They are important pollinators of several wild and domesticated
plant species and depletion of their population could adversely affect the regeneration of plants they pollinate. All stage of
butterflies are also fed upon by various higher group of animals like birds, bats and mammals and thus form more than one link
in the food web. The presence of butterflies emphasizes availability of the larval food plants in great abundance.
The Indian sub continent has about 1439 species of butterflies out of which 100 species are endemic to it and at least 26 taxa
are today globally threatened as per the IUCN (1990) Red List of threatened animals and insects1. The western Himalayas
extending from Kashmir (740 E and 360 N) to Kumaon (800 E and 290 N) in India are one of the nine Zoo-geographical sub regions
of butterflies. Western Himalayas support more than 417 species of butterflies belonging to 7 families2. This area is unique as
butterflies from other oriental and palaeartic region mingle here. In western Himalaya, 91 species have been listed 'rare' or 'very
rare' having been placed in schedule I, II and IV of Indian Wild life (Protection) Act ,1972 amended in 1992 but none is listed in
IUCN (1990) Red List. The earlier major work in the Western Himalaya includes that of Hannyngton3-4, Ollebach5, Singh6, Joshi7,
Arora et. al8, Joshi and Arya9. The present study was carried out to know the species composition and distribution of order
Lepidoptera in different areas of district Nainital.
Table 1. Study sites and their characteristic features

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MATERIALS AND METHODS

Study area: The present study was conducted in Nainital district of Uttarakhand state during 2006-2008.Nainital is
situated at an altitude of 1938 msl from the mean sea level and is surrounded by thick forest of pines and deciduous trees having
tropical, sub tropical, temperate, sub alpine and alpine zones in it's lap. The different study sites were selected for the present
study along with their topographic features have been given in Table 1.
Collection of insects samples and preservation: An extensive and regular monthly collection of entomofauna was
made during July, 2006 to June, 2008. The insects were collected using sweep sampling method10. Net sweeping were carried
out to collect the insects. The collected insects were transferred into bottles containing ethyl acetate soaked cotton. All the
specimens were brought to the laboratory for further studies. The specimens were stretched, pinned and oven dried at 600C for
72 hour and then set into wooden boxes and labeled. The specimen which could not be identified in the laboratory on the basis
of available keys, were sent to Entomological Section of Forest Research Institute, Dehradun and IARI, New Delhi for their
identification.
Diversity of butterfly fauna: Shannon Index11 was used to calculate the diversity of butterfly species, using the following
equation:

Where: H(S) = symbol for the diversity in a sample of S species or kinds

S = the number of species in the sample; Pi = relative abundance of ith species or kinds measures, = ni/N and
N = total number of individuals of all kinds; ni = number of individuals of ith species
ln= log to base 2
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The taxonomic composition of Lepidopteran fauna collected from the study area has been presented in Table 2. A total
of 2312 individuals of 76 species belonging to 15 families of Lepidoptera were collected. Table 3 shows the relative number of
species of different Lepidopteran families and their percent contribution during 2006-08. Maximum number of species belonged
to family Pieridae (21) followed by Nymphalidae (18), Noctuidae (6), Danaidae (5), Lycaenidae (5), Papilionidae (4), Satyridae
(3), Eupterotidae (2), Hesperiidae (1), Geometridae (1), Pyrulidae (1), Lymantridae (1), Syntomidae (1), Crambidae (1) and
Acraeidae (1). Maximum number of individuals belonged to family Pieridae 27.37% followed by Nymphalidae 24.81%, and
Danaidae 12.83% and other families' viz. Noctuidae, Satyridae, Papilionidae, Lycaenidae, Eupterotidae, Hesperiidae, Geometridae,
Pyrulidae, Lymantriidae and Syntomidae contributes a small percentage during 2006-2007. During 2007-2008 maximum number
of individuals belonged to Family Pieridae which constituted 29.75% followed by Nymphalidae 24.15% , Danaidae 10.50% and
Satyridae 10.15% and other families Lycaenidae and Papilionidae, Hesperiidae, Eupterotidae, Cambidae and Acraeidae contributed
a small percentage. Thus family Pieridae contributed the maximum number of species during both the years.
Diversity of butterfly fauna : Alpha diversity () During the first year of study (2006-07) the maximum Shannon Alpha diversity
(H' ) was recorded in Site V (1.3654) and minimum value was recorded in Site VII (1.2906), whereas, during the second year of
study (2007-08) the maximum value of (H' ) was recorded in the month of Site IV (1.3427) and minimum value was recorded in
Site VII (1.2907). The mean Shannon diversity (H' ) for the year 2006-07 was (1.3185) recorded lower in comparison to 2007-08
(1.3195), whereas, it was recorded maximum in Site V (1.3466) and minimum in Site VII (1.2926).
Beta diversity () : During the first year of study (2006-07) the maximum Shannon Beta diversity (H' ) was recorded in the
month of July (1.3605) and minimum value was recorded in the month of March (1.2149), Whereas, during the second year of
study (2007-08) the maximum value of (H' ) was recorded in the month of July (1.3778) and minimum value was recorded in the
month of November (1.2097). The mean Shannon diversity (H' ) for the year 2006-07(1.0455) was recorded higher in comparison
to 2007-08 (1.0445), whereas, it was recorded maximum in the month of July (1.3692) and minimum in the month of November
(1.2173).mean Shannon diversity (H' ) for the year 2006-07(1.045) was recorded higher in comparison to 2007-08 (1.044479),

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Table 2: Taxonomic composition of Lepidopteran insects collected from the study area during 2006-2008.
S.N. Taxonomic composition

Site 1

Site 2 Site 3

Site 4

Site 5

Site 6

Site 7

Papilionidae
1.

Princeps sp.

++

++

++

++

2.

Papilio polytes romulus (Cramer)

++

++

++

++

3.

Papilio d. demoleus (Linn)

++

++

++

++

++

4.

Papilio sp.

++

++

5.

Graphium n. nomius (Esper)

++

++

++

6.

Parides philoxinus (Gray)

Pieridae
7.

Terias h. hecabe (Linn)

++

++

++

++

++

++

++

8.

Delias eucharis (Drury)

++

++

++

9.

Eurema sp.

++

++

10.

Gonopteryx rhamni nepalensis (Debl)

++

++

++

11.

Anopheis aurota aurota (Fabr)

++

++

++

++

++

++

++

12.

Pareronia valeria hippia (Fabr)

++

++

++

++

13.

Pieris sp.

++

++

++

++

++

++

14.

Pieris canidia (Spar)

++

++

++

++

++

++

++

15.

Phalenta alcippe (Drury)

++

++

++

++

++

16.

Catopsilia pyranthe (Linn)

++

++

++

++

17.

Catopsilia crocale

++

++

++

++

++

++

18.

Catopsilia florella (Fabr)

++

++

++

++

++

19.

Appias indra moore

++

++

20.

Hupina herissa phrye (Fabr)

++

++

++

21.

Colias electo fieldi (Mem)

++

++

++

++

22.

Delias b. belladonna (Fabr)

++

++

23.

Hebomoia glaucippe (Linn)

++

24.

Aporia agathan caphisa (Moore)

25.

Eurema latea

++

++

++

26.

Ixias pyrena familiaris (But)

27.

Pieris brassicae( Linn)

++

++

++

++

28.

Colias croceus

++

Danaidae
29.

Euploea core-core (Cramer)

++

++

++

++

30.

Danaus chrysippus (Linn)

++

++

++

++

++

++

++

31.

Danus algae (Stoll)

++

++

++

32.

Prantica algae

++

++

++

+-

++

33.

Prantica sita

++

++

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Nymphalidae
34.

Precis atlites (Linn)

++

++

35.

Precis lemonas lemonas (Linn)

++

++

++

++

++

36.

Precis hierta hierta (Fabr)

++

++

++

++

++

37.

Precis almana-almana (Linn)

++

++

38.

Precis iphata-iphata (Cramer)

++

++

++

++

39.

Precis orithyia (Hubner)

++

++

++

++

40.

Neptis sp.

++

++

++

++

41.

Argyreus sp.

++

++

++

42.

Cupha erymanthis

++

++

43.

Atella p.phalanta (Drury)

++

++

++

44.

Kallima inachus (Boisduval)

++

++

45.

Vanessa caschmerirnsis (Fru)

++

++

++

++

46.

Neptis yerburyi-2 (But)

++

47.

Curetis bulis w.

++

++

48.

Vanessa indica (Herbrt)

++

++

49.

Agynnis hyperbius

50.

Erebia sp.

++

++

--

51.

Egrulis marion (Cramer)

++

++

Lycaenidae
52.

Heliophorous sena (Koll)

++

++

53.

Jamides cleodus

++

++

54.

Hedoes pavana (Kolll)

++

++

++

++

++

++

55.

Lampides boeticus (Linn)

++

++

++

++

++

56.

Narathura fulla fulla

++

++

++

++

++

++

Satyridae
57.

Ypthima sp.

++

58.

Yapthima balda balda

++

++

++

++

++

59.

Parage schakra (Koll)

++

++

++

++

++

++

60.

Melanites leda ismene (Cramer)

++

++

++

Hesperiidae
61.

Parnara gullatus (Brem)

Eupterotidae
62.

Eupterote lineosa

++

63.

Euptoieta Claudia

Noctuidae
64.

Spodotera litura

++

++

++

65.

Rhesala sp.

++

++

66.

Spodotera sp.

++

++

++

++

67.

Spirama retorta

++

++

++

++

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68.

Ascotis sp.

++

++

++

++

++

69.

Ascotis seleraria

70.

Orgyia postica

++

++

++

++

++

++

++

++

Ceryx imaon (Cramer)

TOTAL

46

44

36

54

45

34

44

Geometridae
71.

Chiasmia sp.

Pyrulidae
72.

Dolichomia olinalis

Crambidae
73.

Crambidae pyaustinae

Lymantriidae
74.

Calliteara horsfieldi

Acraeidae
75.

Acraea violae

Syntomidae
76.

- = Absent in that site; + = Present in one year only; ++ = Present in both the years
Table 3: Number of species and individuals of different order and their percent contribution to total number of
species and individuals recorded from study area during 2006-08.
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BUTTERFLY DIVERSITY OF DISTRICT NAINITAL

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whereas, it was recorded maximum in the month of July (1.369) and minimum in the month of November (1.217).
As many as 835 species of butterflies have been recorded from Eastern Himalayas2, while 415 species from Western Himalaya.
It has been estimated that approximately 1450 species of Lepidopteran fauna (Insecta: Rhopalocera) exists in the country,
which include about 325 species from Garhwal Himalayas5,12 and 350 species from Kumaon hills3,4. Five species belonging to 4
families of order Lepidoptera have been reported from North West Himalaya6, seven species belonging to 4 families of this order
have been reported from a grass land at Naukuchiatal, Nainital7. A total of 223 species of butterflies have been reported from
Western Himalayas8, which belonged to 9 families viz. Popilionidae, Pieridae, Danaidae, Satyridae, Acraeidae, Nymphalidae,
Erycinidae and Hesperiidae from Western Himalayas, Uttar Pradesh. Lycaenidae was the most dominant family with 48 species,
followed by Satyridae (46), Nymphalidae (45), Pieridae (36), Popilionidae (27), Danaidae (9), Erycinidae (6), Hesperiidae (5), and
Acraidae (1).
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks are due to Coordinator of SAP programme, Prof. B. D. Joshi, as the initial field visits of the first author to different
study sites were sponsored under the SAP programme of UGC, sanctioned to Dept. of Zoology and Env. Sciences, Gurukula
Kangri University, Hardwar.
REFERANCES
1.

Singh, A.P. and Pandey, R. (2004). J. Bomb. Nat. His. Soc. 101:79.

2.

Wynter-Blyth, M.A. (1957). Butterfly of the Region: XX+523, 72 pls. (Published by Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., Bombay).

3.

Hannyngton, F. (1910-11). J. Bombay Nat.Hist. Soc., 20(3):871.

4.

Hannyngton, F. (1910-11). J. Bomb. Nat. Hist. Soc., 20(1):130.

5.

Ollenbach, O. C. (1930-1931). J. Bomb. Nat. Hist. Soc., 34: 836.

6.

Singh, S. (1963). Agra Univ. J. Research, 12: 363.

7.

Joshi, P.C. (1989). In : Energy and nutrient dynamics of above ground insects in a grassland ecosystem. Ph. D. Thesis, Kumaon
University, Nainital, India.

8.

Arora, G.S., Ghosh, S.K. and Chaudhury, M. (1995). In: Fauna of western Himalaya (Lepidopteran: Rhopalocera). Himalaya
Ecosystem series: Fauna of western Himalaya Uttar Pradesh, Z.S.I. 61.

9.

Joshi, P. C. and Arya, M. (2007). The Nat. Hist. J. of Chula. Univ., 7(1): 1.

10.

Gadagkar, R Chandrashekhar, K. and Nair, P. (1990). J. Bom. Nat. Hist. Soc.,87: 337.

11.

Shannon, C.E. and Weiner, W. (1963). In: The mathematical theory of communications. Univ: IIwlionosis Press.Champaign.

12.

Mackinnon, P.W. and Niceville, de L (1897). J. Bom. Nat. Hist. Soc. 11: 368.