Studies on Butterfly (Order: Lepidoptera) fauna in Different sites of District Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

The diversity of biological organisms at one place, group, or time is, in itself, more or less not useful, but comparable measurements of diversity from multiple places, Groups or times will answer crucial questions about how the diversity arose and how we may best act to maintain it. Butterflies are among the most easily recognisable and attractive of all animals. They are instantly familiar and also universally popular. Lucknow, located in the centre of Uttar Pradesh state, possesses gardens and a green belt. There are many species of plants present in these gardens and green areas, which support a wide variety of butterfly species. Butterfly fauna in the Lucknow region was investigated by using an aerial net, a killing jar in four different sites, e.g. Cantonment Area, Vrindavan Yojana, National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, and Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research from July 2018 to June 2019. During the entire study, the total collection by all possible methods yielded a total of 655 butterflies representing 23 species belonging to 4 families. Out of 23 species, Cantonment Area 19 species (178), Vrindavan Yojana 12 species (126), National Bureau of  Fish Genetic Resources 16 species (160) and Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research 19 species (191) Overall 8 species were found to be common at all the selected areas and 3 species namely Pieris rapae, Precis hierta and Hypolimnas missipus rarely were found.  The species population was maximum at NBFGR (191), followed by VY 19 species (178), IISR 16 species (160) and minimum at CA  12 species (126).