Diversity and Distribution of Butterflies and their Conservation in Cauvery Delta Region, Tamil Nadu, India

Butterflies are one of the beneficial insects as they serve as pollinators and indicators of environmental quality and are also appreciated for their aesthetic value. They play a pivotal role in determining the stability of an ecosystem since their numbers can fluctuate drastically with even slight changes in temperature, weather conditions, degradation or pollution. This study is one of the first attempts to conduct and fulfill the lacuna through the investigations on the diversity of butterflies at the basin of Cauvery in Kumbakonam region using transect counting method. Collection of specimen was made for taking photographic documentation. A total of 24 species of butterflies were collected from members of the family Nymphalidae, Papilionidae, Pieridae, Lycaenidae and Hesperiidae respectively. The study provides useful information about their diversity as well as baseline data for upcoming researchers. Global warming is one of the serious threats to the butterflies and conservation of this lepidopteron fauna is unavoidable.