Abstract

About 100 species of butterflies belonging to 9 families were collected in this study. The families Nymphalide and Papilionidae contained maximum number of species recorded here. Habitat preferences of the various groups of butterflies were also studied and five distinct biocoenoses with characteristic fauna were recognised, viz., interior forests, forest clearings and edges, forest canopies, grass lands and river banks. Of the various species collected, 13 were endemic to South India which are now very much restricted in their distribution. This included 5 species having protected status