BUTTERFLY SPECIES DIVERSITY AND ABUNDANCE IN MANIKKUNNUMALA FOREST OF WESTERN GHATS, INDIA.

Butterflies, one of the most researched insect groups throughout the world, are also one of the groups that face serious threats of various kinds and in varying degrees. Wayanad district is one of the biodiversity rich landscapes within the biodiversity hot spot of Western Ghats. This paper essentially deals with the abundance and diversity of butterfly species in Manikkunnumala forest in Wayanad district of Western Ghats. The hilly ecosystem of this area is under various pressures mainly being anthropogenic. Still this area exhibits fairly good diversity; this includes some very rare and endemic butterflies. When assessed the rarity and abundance, six out of 94 recorded butterflies comes under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The area needs immediate attention to conserve the remaining vegetation in order to protect the butterfly diversity.