Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

DIVERSITY AND ABUNDANCE OF BUTTERFLY (LEPIDOPTERA RHOPALOCERA) IN THE CITY GARDEN OF BANDA ACEH, INDONESIA

Suwarno, Irla Hanum, Yekki Yasmin, Saida Rasnovi1 and Dahelmi

Abstract

Butterflies are generally regarded as one of the best taxonomically studied group of insects. Butterfly populations can show large natural fluctuations. Butterfly distribution and abundance depends on variations in weather for the short-term as well as alterations and disturbances in habitat quality and availability for the long term. In this study the diversity of butterflies in the City Garden Banda Aceh was studied. This study aimed to identify biodiversity and composition of butterfly, abundance of butterflies correlate to photoperiodic and correlation abiotic factors (temperature and humidity) and butterfly abundance in this garden. The exploratory survey method was performed in the study. The sampling was conducted three times a day on 8.00am – 10.00am (morning), 11.00am – 1.00pm (noon) and 3.00pm - 5.00pm (afternoon) for 15 days. Butterflies were collected using the insect net (40 cm in diameter and 200 cm in stalk), followed the track existing in the garden. The study was conducted in March to May 2017. A total of 523 individual of butterflies belong to 30 species and seven families, namely; Amanthusidae, Danaidae, Lycaenidae, Nymphalidae, Papilionidae, Pieridae, and Satyridae. The Nymphalidae has the highest number of species (9 species) followed by Pieridae (6 species) and Papilionidae (5 species). While, Amantusidae has the lowest number of species and individual, 1 species and 19 individual, respectively. In addition, the higher number species and individual of butterfly were in the morning, it was significantly different to two other sampling periods (noon and afternoon). The Shannon-Weiner diversity index (H’) of butterflies in Banda Aceh city garden was 2.805. There were significantly correlation between temperature and number of species and individual (F2, 44; p<0.0001 and F2, 44; p<0.0001) but very weak correlation R2 = 0.332 and R2 = 0.367, respectively.