An Updated Checklist of Butterflies of District Gaya, Bihar, India

Butterflies play an essential role in the ecosystem, serving as pollinators, food sources, and effective indicators of environmental shifts. This study primarily concentrates on recognizing butterfly species and their diversity in the Gaya district of Bihar, India. A total of 48 families of butterflies were noted during the survey. Of these, 102 species were recorded for the first time from Gaya. A total of 36 species were documented from the Nymphalidae family. The species most frequently found in the target area included Ariadne ariadne, Danaus chrysippus, Euploea core, Junonia almana, Junonia iphita, Leptosia nina nina, Melanitis leda, Papilio demoleus, and Ypthima huebneri. Nonetheless, a small number of species like Cigaritis vulcanus, Curetis acuta, and Spialia galba were infrequently encountered. The highest diversity was seen in winter, while the lowest diversity occurred in summer.