BUTTERFLY FAUNA (ORDER: LEPIDOPTERA) IN COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, WARRI, DELTA STATE

Abstract

This study was conducted to identify the Butterfly fauna in College of Education, Warri, Delta State, Nigeria. A total of 666 individuals of butterflies belonging to 53 species, 11 subfamilies and 5 families of the order Lepidoptera were recorded from April to August, 2018 in College of Education Warri. The results of the
study revealed that in the sites, butterflies belonging to the family Nymphalidae were most abundant, accounting for 82.28%. The family with least number of species was found to be Papilionidae represented by 1 species which constituted 1.89% of total butterfly species sighted. The result of the study revealed that the highest number of taxa and species abundance of butterflies 30 (212) were recorded in school field area during the period of the study and least number in Secondary school area 14 (131) in the studied site. Shannon –Wiener Index value was highest in Primary school area (2.65), followed by Agric area (2.48) and least in Secondary school area (1.76) in study site. Margalef Index value was highest (5.41) in School field area followed by Primary school area (4.83), and least in Secondary school area (2.67). However, evenness value was highest in Agric area (0.60) and least in School field area (0.25). There was no significant difference in species richness across the habitat type in the studied site at 0.05 level of significance. The ecological importance of this areas demand for a greater conservation
strategies like creating butterfly gardens and buffer zones.