Butterfly Diversity at Doi Inthanon National Park, Chiang Mai Province

Abstract

Butterfly diversity was conducted at Doi Inthanon National Park, Chiang Mai province, during June 2001 to May 2002. Butterflies were recorded every month along line transects of natural trail of four natural habitats (grass land, mixed deciduous, dry dipterocarp and hill evergreen) within 5 m radius of surveyor (toward left, right and above), during 10.00-12.00 a.m. and 13.00-15.00 p.m. Binocular, sweep nets and butterfly traps were applied to catch butterflies for identification in the field. After finishing they were released to natural habitat. The results indicated that there were 296 species, belonging to 5 families; Hesperiidae (39 species), Lycaenidae (88 species), Nymphalidae (107 species), Papilionidae (26 species) and Pieridae (36 species). The most abundance of butterflies was in mixed deciduous forest (173 species) and followed by dry dipterocarp forest (170 species) in rainy season. On the other hand, hill evergreen forest and grass land in high altitude habitat was more abundance in summer. The maximum diversity indices (alpha values, α) were high in mixed deciduous (20.09) and dry dipterocarp forests (16.49). The similarity indices between mixed deciduous forest and dry dipterocarp forest and between mixed deciduous and grass land were 35.14 and 0.31 respectively. However, species composition of butterflies in all forest types was not substantially different. At lease two endangered species were listed in the CITES Appendix II, Teinopalpus imperialis imperatrix and Troides helena.

 Key words: butterfly diversity, habitat, forest types, Doi Inthanon National Park