A preliminary study on the abundance, habitat preferences and seasonal patterns of butterfly fauna (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) of Bargi dam catchment area at Jabalpur division (MP.)

Abstract

From December 2023 to November 2024, a butterfly species survey was done in the Bargi Dam Catchment Area, Jabalpur Division. In and around Jabalpur, 51 butterfly species from five families were recorded: Nymphalidae, Pieridae, Lycaenidae, Papilionidae, and Riodinidae. This unique habitat offers one of the first complete views of the region's butterfly species variety and abundance. Nymphalidae has the most recorded species (21), followed by Lycaenidae (17), Pieridae (7), Papilionidae (5), and Riodinidae (1). Species abundance was divided into four categories: Very Common, Common, Rare, and Very Rare. Butterflies provide critical ecological services and respond distinctively to urbanization, making them valuable bioindicators for measuring habitat quality and environmental health. The butterfly species were found in a variety of settings, including grasslands, open woodlands, scrub forests, and mud puddles, with scrub forests being the most popular. Seasonal differences in species richness were also noticed, with the most species observed during the winter season and the fewest during the monsoon. This study intends to help build biodiversity restoration plans and habitat management techniques for the Bargi Dam Catchment Area.