BUTTERFLIES OF MELGHAT TIGER RESERVE, MAHARASHTRA WITH NOTES ON THEIR ABUNDANCE, S

Written by J. S. WADATKAR* AND RAJU KASAMBE

Tuesday, 21 April 2009 14:50 - Last Updated Wednesday, 01 July 2009 11:51

J. S. WADATKAR* AND RAJU KASAMBE

Deaprtment of Zoology, S.G.B. Amravati University, Amravati – 444 606
E-mail: jaywadatkar@rediffmail.com

ABSTRACT

This paper presents the data on the butterfly fauna of Melghat Tiger Reserve (MTR) with
abundance, status and host plants. Overall 101 species of butterflies belonging to 8 families and
19 subfamilies were recorded during the study period. Family-wise occurrence of the species
was found to be Papilionidae-9, Pieridae - 16, Danaidae - 06, Satyridae - 10, Nymphalidae - 22,
Riodinidae - 01, Lycaenidae - 23 and Hesperiidae - 14. It was found that 22 species of
butterflies are very common, 21 species are common, 16 species are not rare/ occasional and
21 species are rare, 17 species are very rare and 04 species are locally common in occurrence
in MTR. The larval host plants (101) of different butterflies were also listed.

INTRODUCTION

Documentation of biodiversity is basic need of management planning for conservation. Melghat

Tiger Reserve (MTR) is a very popular wilderness among nature lovers. {reg}It is the one of the
first nine Tiger Reserves in India, established in 1972. Melghat region ( 200 51’ to 210 46’ N and
to 760 38’ to 770 33’ E) is spread over 3970 sq. km of Chikhaldara and Dharni tehsils in
Amravati district and Akot tehsil in Akola district in Maharashtra, India 2200 sq. km area of
which is protected under Melghat Tiger Reserve (MTR) having five protected regions namely
Gugamal National Park (or the sanctum sanctorum), Melghat Sanctuary (the buffer zone),
Narnala Wildlife Sanctuary, Wan Wildlife Sanctuary and Ambabarwa Wildlife Sanctuary
(Mahabal, 2005) under unified control (Fig. 1). Melghat experiences tropical climate with
temperatures ranging between 130C and 220C during winter and between 230C to 450C during
summer has southern tropical dry deciduous forest. The annual rainfall ranges between
1000mm and 2250mm. A total of 715 plant species have been recorded from MTR (Dhore and
Joshi, 1998 and Mahabal, 2005). D’Abreu (1931) had studied the butterflies of the then Central

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BUTTERFLIES OF MELGHAT TIGER RESERVE, MAHARASHTRA WITH NOTES ON THEIR ABUNDANCE, ST

Written by J. S. WADATKAR* AND RAJU KASAMBE

Tuesday, 21 April 2009 14:50 - Last Updated Wednesday, 01 July 2009 11:51

Provinces (now Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha) in general. A total of 45 species of butterflies
had been recorded in Melghat region by Mahabal (2005). The paper deals with the survey of the
butterfly diversity of the MTR done from January 2005 to December 2007 to record the
abundance, status and larval host plants of the species in the various parts of the MTR.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Butterflies were observed, captured, identified and released immediately at the spot of capture.
A butterfly net was used for this purpose. Many of the species were photographed in the wild.
Dead butterflies killed on the roads by speeding vehicles were collected and identified using the
available literature (Evans, 1932; Wynter Blyth,1957; Haribal, 1992 and Kunte, 2000). The dead
specimens, many of them not in very good condition, were kept in butterfly collection boxes.
Collecting live specimens was avoided during the study. Butterflies were

categorized into five groups based on their occurrence during the study period on the basis of
frequency of sightings. Accordingly, those species found were categorized as: VC- very
common seen on 80-100% of field visits; C- common- seen on 60-80% of field visits; NR- not
rare / occasional - seen on 40-60% of field visits; R- rare - seen on 20-40% of field visits and
VR- very rareseen on less than 20% of field visits

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BUTTERFLIES OF MELGHAT TIGER RESERVE, MAHARASHTRA WITH NOTES ON THEIR ABUNDANCE, S

Written by J. S. WADATKAR* AND RAJU KASAMBE

Tuesday, 21 April 2009 14:50 - Last Updated Wednesday, 01 July 2009 11:51

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BUTTERFLIES OF MELGHAT TIGER RESERVE, MAHARASHTRA WITH NOTES ON THEIR ABUNDANCE, S

Written by J. S. WADATKAR* AND RAJU KASAMBE

Tuesday, 21 April 2009 14:50 - Last Updated Wednesday, 01 July 2009 11:51

 RESULTS
A total
during
9.09%
-10.01%
23.23%
butterfly
rare/
common
diverse oftaxa
(numberAND
occasional,
the(n=23)
species
(n=10),
in
101 DISCUSSION
present
status.
with
species
and
of
Nymphalidae
22
21
aspecies,
study.
Family
maximum
Hesperiidae
species
species
of butterflies
The
Lycaenidae
n=9),
are
are
of
family-wise
- 22.22%
23
very
rare,
-Pieridae-
14.14%
belonging
species
common,
17
dominated
(n=22),Riodinidae
species
occurrence
(n=14).
16.16%
reported
to21
08
are
the
It
species
families
(n=16),
was
from
very
family-wise
of the
found
the
rare
are
-Danaidae
and
species
01.01%
common,
and
that
19
abundance
04
subfamilies
among
was
(n=01),
-species
6.06%
16
asthe
species
Papilionidae
Lycaenidae
amongst
(n=6),
are
recorded
werelocally
are
Satyridae
found
the
not
-

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BUTTERFLIES OF MELGHAT TIGER RESERVE, MAHARASHTRA WITH NOTES ON THEIR ABUNDANCE, S

Written by J. S. WADATKAR* AND RAJU KASAMBE

Tuesday, 21 April 2009 14:50 - Last Updated Wednesday, 01 July 2009 11:51

study area.
flies were
plant
species
arstolochiae
investigation.
asperrima
listed
Thottea
Tiger) species
host (Table
butterflies
were
siliquosa
recorded
and
plants 1).
F.recorded
are
Listed Total
Asystalsia
(Common
are
of
cultivated
butwhich
Pachliopta
host
common
these
from 101
plants
spp
Rose)
are
plants
in host
outside
used
ibut plants
agriculture
hactor
of
are
these
were
Sarangesa
by
MTR.
listed
not species
Aristolochia
L. plants
(Crimson
land
(Table
recorded of
butterflies
purendra
or
were butter
bracteolate,
planted
2).
Rose)
also
Recorded
from
in(Spotted
are
not
as
the
MTR
MTR.
exotic
recorded
Aristolochia
Melghat
A.host
during
indica,
Danaus
small
plants
plants
region.
from
thr
Flat)
A.genutia
bracteolate,
species
tagala,
period
of
MTR.
are
Out
Pachliopta
Blepharis
of
Cr.
A.
of
and
Similarly
these
griffithi,
(Common
A.
03indica,
plant
07

n new
(Kunte,
reported
the
alternative
Hygrophila
pyranthe
variety
a
host
recorded
present
MTR.
butterfly
plant
host
of
2000).
2000)
More
study.
(Dhore
L.,
as
host
of
host
auriculata
plant
species
a
Neptis
Cynthia
than
of
new
plants.
Surprisingly
plants
and
some
of10
host
hylas
Eurema
are
Joshi,
cardui
is
host
The
of
ofmost
plant
using
these
varmona
the
plant
plants
none
1988,
L.
brigitta
butterflies
widely
of(Painted
some
butterfly
Caesalpinia
Ypthima
of
have
Bhogaonkar
L.
these
rubella
used
other
and
been
Lady)
are
species
asterope
were
Parathyma
by
alternative
W.
not
decapetala
recorded
10
and
Plant
and
reported
found
species
from
amahratta
Devarkar,
Echinops
small
MTR
perius
host
in
forthe
(family
from
ofD.
grass
plants
is
butterflies
study
M
Linn.
genutia
being
MTR.
1999).
echinatus
(Common
Mimosaceae)
species,
in
species
area
done.
Many
MTR.
This
from
inand
MTR.
was
Three
Cynodon
suggests
The
Peninsular
host
Study
are
also
recorded
was
using
Catopsilia
host
plant
Ring)
on
have
recorded
dactylon
plant
that
the
maximum
species
India
during
not
as
either
- been
a new
as
was
the

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Dr.
The
Amravati
P.Y.
Nitin
and
Dhore,authors
Taxonomist
thank
Project
Evans,
y. 454pp.
Haribal, Bhogaonkar,
Mr.
M.
W.
Publishers,
M.
217pp+60pls.
Mahabal,
24.
Kunte,
Sciences,K. University,
Wynter-Blyth,A.
TigerH.
A.
Zoological are
and
cooperation
Kakodkar,
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