SPECIES COMPOSITION AND SEASONAL PATTERNS OF BUTTERFLIES AT PERI- URBAN AREAS NEAR PUNE CITY, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

Field investigations were conducted in the Saswad-Waghapur region near Pune city to study species composition and the seasonal variation of butterflies as well as the impact of disturbances on them. Species diversity was assessed using “Pollard Walk method” and the seasonal disturbances at every site were quantitively measured. Alpha and Beta diversity indices and correlational tests were used to analyze the data. A total of 1285 individuals representing 53 species and 37 genera from 5 families were observed from August 2020 to May 2021. Contribution of each Lepidoptera family to species richness ranged from 36% (Nymphalidae) to 2% (Hesperiidae). The most species with one single individual (10) were observed in the wild areas of grassland, while only 5 species were observed in agricultural areas. Shannon index (H) values ranged from 2.64 to 2.74 indicating similar diversity within sites, whereas Margalef richness value ranged from 4.95 to 5.98 indicating higher species richness in the wild habitats. Species diversity was maximum during the monsoon with many species such as Eurema hecabe (Common Grass yellow) and Ypthima asterope (Common Threering) showing their abundance peaks during this period. A steady decline was observed from the end of winter until summer with few species (e.g. Lampides boeticus) exhibiting their peaks during winter. Disturbances such as fires, grazing and construction activities played a significant role in determining the species composition at various sites. Thus, the present investigation provided a first insight into the butterflies of Saswad-Waghapur region and the effect of anthropogenic activities on them.