Diversity and Richness of Butterflies in the Sub-Alpine Forests of Western Himalaya (Himachal Pradesh)

Butterflies are conspicuous insects of the order Lepidoptera. The present study was conducted in various Sub-Alpine forests of Himachal Pradesh. The study was carried out in Sub- Alpine forests, during different seasons of the year 2013-2015. A total of 298 specimens of butterflies belonging to 69 species were collected and sampled. Shannon-Weiner index, Margalefs index and Pielous index was used for calculating butterflies species diversity, species richness and species evenness. The present study revealed that maximum species diversity was in Kalatop in the year, 2014 (2.736) and minimum was in Marhi in the year, 2015 (1.553). Similarly, species richness was maximum in Chotabanghal in the year 2014, (4.702) and minimum was in Jalori Jot in the year 2013, (1.515). Evenness was maximum in Jalori Jot in the year 2014, (1.077) and minimum was in Kalatop in the year 2013, (0.838). Regarding different family of butterflies it was found that species diversity was found highest in case of family Nymphalidae (2.85) and lowest in family Hesperiidae (1.72). Species richness was found highest in Nymphalidae (7.45) and it was lowest in family Hesperiidae (0.74). Species evenness was found highest in family Nymphalidae (0.97) and lowest in family Pieridae and Papilionidae (0.90). Present study was modest attempt to explore the species diversity, species richness and species evenness of butterflies from Sub-Alpine forests of Himachal Pradesh.