SEASONAL DIVERSITY, STATUS AND CLIMATIC FACTORS AFFECTING BUTTERFLY (INSECTA: LEPIDOPTERA) FAUNA IN CHAUBATIA GARDEN, RANIKHET- ALMORA, WESTERN HIMALAYA, INDIA

An appraisal of seasonal diversity, status and comparison of relationship between various abiotic factors and butterflies species was made in Chaubatia Garden, Ranikhet from July 2017 to June 2019. Line transect were used to survey the butterflies with scooped-net between 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. A checklist was made comprising a total of 41 species of butterflies belonging to 5 families, 10 subfamilies and 33 genera, of which 16 species were recorded under Common category including 13 species Very Common, 7 species as Occasional and 5 species as Rare. During the course of present investigation it was observed that the family Nymphalidae represented by 21 species was found to be the most dominant family followed by Pieridae 11 species, Papilionidae 4 species, Lycaenidae 3 species and Hesperiidae with only 2 species, respectively. The diversity index of all the seasons showed moderate rank that indicates community equilibrium in the environments was still good. Temperature and relative humidity was found significantly correlated, while rainfall showed negative correlation with the species across all the different seasons of the year. Therefore, understanding of the factors that affect the diversity of butterflies and their abundance in the Chaubatia Garden Ranikhet is important for their conservation.