BUTTERFLIES NECTAR FOOD PLANTS FROM GLENMORGAN, THE NILGIRIS,TAMIL NADU, INDIA

Butterflies are important components of biodiversity and play an important role in the food chain of a forest ecosystem. An attempt was being made to enumerate the butterfly nectar food plants in Glenmorgan, Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu. The present study has been aimed to explore the floral attributes of nectar feeding butterflies in relation to relative abundance. A total of 65 species of butterflies belonging to 5 families were recorded as flower visitor and nectar feeding on 84 species of plants belong to 69 genera and 30 families. The highest number of butterflies belonging to the family Nymphalidae 26 species, Pieridae 14 species, Lycaenidae 13 species, Hesperiidae and Papilionidae with 6 species. Plant visitors of different butterfly species varied considerably; while some were highly seasonal, others had staggered for flowering and vegetative habitats.