摘要：Background and Objective: Butterfly gardens help to increase the population number and through the careful selection of host plants and restoration of habitats, a diverse assemblage of butterflies could be sustained even in urban areas. It is necessary to gather information on the impact of habitat creation through such gardens and their effectiveness in increasing the population. The objective was to study the diversity and seasonal abundance of butterflies in the Butterfly Safari at Thenmala in Kerala, India. Methodology: The butterflies were recorded using a standard transect counting method. Butterflies encountered along a fixed transect route of 300 m length and 25 m width, traversing the Safari were recorded daily, from September, 2008-August, 2010. For sampling, butterflies encountered at an approximate distance of 5 m on either side of transect were recorded. Seasonal index of butterflies was calculated by seasonal index formula. Results: A total of 13,104 individuals belonging to 99 butterfly species representing 70 genera under 5 families were recorded, of which six species have protected status under the Indian Wildlife Act, another five were endemic to the Western Ghats region and five were rare. Nymphalidae with 42 species was the most dominant family followed by Lycaenidae (22 species), Papilionidae (15 species), Hesperiidae (11 species) and Pieridae (9 species). Conclusion: The butterfly population showed an increasing trend during the monsoon season (June-October) reaching its peak in November. The population remained low during the summer months (March-May). The study showed the significant benefit of such parks in biodiversity conservation, recreation and education.
