ABUNDANCE AND DIVERSITY OF BUTTERFLY SPECIES (ORDER: LEPIDOPTERA) IN SOUTH WESTERN PART OF NIGERIA.

Butterflies (Order: Lepidoptera) are potential pollinators which should be conserved for the benefits of the ecosystem. Osun State has no data base on butterfly species diversity which is necessary for conservation and wildlife management in the State despite intensive agricultural activities. Survey of abundance and diversity of butterfly species as alternative pollinators within south western Nigeria was carried out. Butterfly specimens were collected from four different sites (i) Open field (ii) Cultivated plot (iii) Non-cultivated plot and (iv) Ornamental in each selected study zones using insect sweep net along transects on each site. The collected specimens were preserved and identified up to species level. Data on the abundance and diversity of the specimen were collected and analyzed to establish the relative abundance, diversity, species richness, and evenness in the study areas. A total of 182 butterflies belonging to 30 species and 3 families (Nymphalidae, Pieridae and Papilionidae) were identified. Nymphalidae was the highest in terms of abundance and species richness. This family accounted for 52.5% of the total butterfly collection with 19 species while the least family, Papilionidae had 3 species and accounted for 6.1% of the total collection. Butterfly diversity was in the following order: Ornamental site >Non-cultivated plot> Cultivated plot> Open field, in the study areas. It is recommended that butterflies which are potential pollinators should be conserved for the benefit of the ecosystem to maintain stability and support human existence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]