Diversity of Butterflies in Maidan Valley, with New Records for Lower Dir District, Pakistan

INTRODUCTION

The second biggest order in the class Insecta is the order Lepidoptera, which includes butterflies [1]. As herbivores, butterflies are crucial to the stability of food webs and are the main consumers in the forest ecosystem [2]. Because they are sensitive to changes in environmental factors including temperature, microclimate, and the presence of plants for oviposition and larval development, butterflies are valuable ecosystem bioindicators [3, 4]. Butterflies have long captivated naturalists, scientists and the public, and they have played a central part in studies of speciation, community ecology [5]. They are considered to be a representation of grace and beauty and Butterflies are elegant, beautiful, and charming insects due to their colorful insects [6, 7]. Butterflies are a diverse and charismatic insect group that are thought to have evolved with plants and dispersed throughout the world in response to key geological events [8]. Researchers are now closely examining butterflies for indicators of habitat destruction and climate change [9]. The diversity of Butterfly is greatly impacted by low latitude and altitude as well as excessive quantities of pesticides and insecticide [10]. Numerous researchers have studied Pakistan's butterfly fauna. Thirteen species were found in a study conducted at the Union Council Koaz Bahram Dheri, District Charsadda [3]. Butterfly fauna of Doag Dara, Dir Upper, was evaluated yielding, Ten species [11]. A total of 23 butterfly species were recorded in Tehsil Tangi over the period from August 2014 to May 2015 [12]. Piered butterfly fauna was explored and yielded 11 species from Swat district [13]. Similarly, 21 species were reported from Battagram district [1]. Besides, many researchers have worked on the butterfly fauna of Pakistan [3, 14-17].

Previously, a preliminary survey of the butterfly fauna in the Lower Dir district was conducted. Identification found 24 species across 20 genera and 7 families. The families included Papilionidae, Pieridae, Danidae, Nymphalidae, Satyridae, Lycaenidae, and Lybethedae [18].

This study aims to conduct a comprehensive survey of butterfly species in District Lower Dir, documenting both previously recorded and new species. It seeks to expand knowledge of species diversity and distribution, contributing to conservation efforts by establishing a baseline for future ecological monitoring.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Study area

The Maidan Valley, which spans 300 square kilometers and lies between latitudes 34°–37/ to 35°–7/ N and longitudes 71°–31/ to 72°–14/ E, is located in the Dir Lower District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan.   The southern portion of the Hindukush Mountain Range, which is between 1800 and 2000 meters high, dominates Maidan Valley. The vast majority of people in the area are employed in farming, horticulture, sericulture, and agriculture. The summer months are moderately hot, with June and July having the highest temperatures, which vary from 15.6°C to 32.5°C. The winter season is harsh and frigid, with temperatures dropping sharply starting in November. The coldest months, when the temperature drops below 0°C, are December, January, and February.   In 2000, the average temperature in January was measured, including its highest and lowest values.

Data collection

Between September 2023 and July 2024, ten distinct localities of Maidan—Sroogal, Dall Gall, Lacha Bala, Kareen, Mirgam Payen, Shigai, Zaimdara, Guli Bagh, Dapoor Chinar kote, and Lal Qilla—were used to randomly capture butterflies using sweep nets and aerial nets. The specimens of butterflies were slain in the killing jar with ethyl-acetate soaked in cotton. The collected specimens were suitably pinned and labeled in an insect box containing phenolphthalein balls [19].

Preservation

The collected specimens were pinned with insect pins in their thoracic region and set on a thermocouple setting board. The specimens were labeled with the date, location, and scientific name. The specimens were placed in various rows within a wooden box, and to protect them from pests, phenolphthalein balls were stored within [19].

Identification

The butterfly specimens were identified with the help of available literature [1, 12-15, 20-26]

The identified specimens were tagged and kept on paper for photography with the help of a Camera. All the identified specimens were deposited in the museum of the Department of Zoology, GDC Lal Qilla, Dir lower, KP, Pakistan.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The current study was carried out in Lal Qilla, District Lower Dir, from September 2023 to August 2024. During this period, a total of 180 butterfly specimens were collected and identified into 34 species, classified into five families: Nymphalidae, Pieridae, Lycaenidae, Papilionidae, and Hesperiidae (Figure 1 and Table 1). Among these, the family Nymphalidae was the most species-rich, comprising 15 species, followed by Pieridae with eight species, Lycaenidae with six species, Papilionidae with three species, and Hesperiidae with one species.

Table 1. Checklist of Butterfly species reported from the study area

The family Nymphalidae was not only the richest in terms of species diversity but also the most abundant in terms of individuals collected during the survey. The following species were reported within Nymphalidae: Aglais caschmirensis, Argyreus hyperbius, Ariadne merione, Danaus chrysippus, Hestina persimilis, Junonia almana, Junonia hierta, Junonia orithya, Kaniska canace, Libythea lepita, Lasiommata schakra, Neptis sappho, Phalanta phalantha, Tirumala limniace, and Vanessa cardui (Figure 2). In the family Pieridae, eight species were documented: Belenois aurota, Catopsilia pomona, Colias fieldii, Colias erate, Eurema hecabe, Gonepteryx rhamni, Pieris brassicae, Pieris rapae, and Pontia daplidice.The family Lycaenidae was represented by five species: Deudorix epijarbas, Heliophorus sena, Lycaena phlaeas, Cigaritis ictis, and Zizeeria karsandra (Figure 3).

Papilionidae was represented by three species: Papilio bianor, Papilio demoleus, and Papilio polytes, Finally, the family Hesperiidae was represented by a single species, Celaenorrhinus leucocera. Skippers, although generally overlooked in collections, can provide valuable insights into the region's ecosystem health due to their sensitivity to habitat changes (Figure 4).