Studies on Butterfly diversity, abundance and utilization of plant resources in urban localities of Banyan city- Vadodara, Gujarat, India

Abstract

Beginning of urbanization is one of the major reasons for habitat fragmentation with environmental degradation, a big threat for decline in species diversity in butterflies. Vadodara, a developing city in Western India fully indulged into establishment of cement & concrete jungles, which have fragmented natural green habitat up to the significant extent. Hence the present study is an attempt to study the species richness and to study availability of larval and nectar resources with respect to preferential colors in urban areas. During the extensive study; Nymphalidae and Pieridae families showed more number of the butterflies species, supported by diversity indices, within limited supply of the major nectar resources like Lantana camara, Tridax procumbens & Ixora coccinea with whitish yellow, yellowish orange and red color flowers, which should be cultivated most during urban designing to provide sustainable resources to restore biodiversity of this natural pollinators in developing cities like Vadodara.