Lantana camara: Enhancing and Sustaining Butterfly Diversity in Urban-Industrial Landscape of Kanpur (U.P), India

In essence, butterflies are vital for ecosystem health because they pollinate plants, which are crucial for food chains and biodiversity, and their presence or absence indicates the overall health of an environment. The present study examines the impact of Lantana camara, an invasive flowering plant, on butterfly diversity in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. This study sheds insight into the approach for the conservation of Butterfly species in urban areas of the city. Many Field surveys were conducted over a period of a year in various vegetation-rich places like Allen Forest, Chandrashekhar Azad University, and Shyam Nagar to document the butterfly species visiting Lantana camara as a nectar source. The study recorded 19 butterfly species from five major families as Papilionidae, Pieridae, Nymphalidae, Lycaenidae and Hesperiidae. Results indicate that Lantana camara provides a continuous nectar source, attracting a diverse range of butterfly species. However, as an invasive species, it poses ecological concerns by competing with native flora. The study highlights the need for balanced conservation strategies to support butterfly populations while managing the spread of Lantana camara.