The Handbook on Butterflies of Arunachal Pradesh is an effort by the author to provide pictorial and simple linguistic descriptions of the beautiful insects that attract the naturalists and the commons.
The butterflies are an important group of insects whose members have beneficial and economic value. They play a key role in nature as an important component in the food chain of birds, spiders and others predatory insects. They also act as pollinators. The old relationship between the human and butterflies is today going through a period of great stress as humans by their activities are directly or indirectly threatening the existence of butterflies. The presence of butterflies depend upon a variety of factors including the climate, suitable food, appropriate adult nectar sources of other food, suitable areas for flight and courtship and in some instances the presence of certain symbiotic species, notably ants.
The present pictorial handbook contains a descriptive and illustrated account of 472 species of common and fascinating butterflies belonging to five families of the suborder Rhopalocera, order Lepidoptera that are common in Arunachal Pradesh. The handbook contains the scientific names of each butterfly, followed by the common name, general ecology, diagnostic characters, size of wingspan and distribution in India.
Foreword
Preface
Introduction
Superfamily: Papilionoidea
1. Family: Papilionidae
2. Family: Pieridae
3. Family: Nymphalidae
4. Family: Lycaenidae. Superfamily: Hesperiodea
5. Family: Hesperiidae
References
Index