An Analysis of Moth Diversity in Garbhanga Reserve Forest, Basistha, Assam, India

The Garbhanga Reserve Forest, located on the south-western side of Guwahati City, covers an area of about 117 km2 and borders the foothills of Meghalaya (26°05´36˝N and 91°44´57˝E). Despite the constant threat of exploitation due to its proximity to the rapidly developing city, this area hosts a diverse ecosystem of moths and butterflies. In a study conducted over one year from January 2022 to December 2022, a total of 140 moth species were documented, with the majority belonging to the Erebidae family (46 species) and 1090 individuals, followed by the Crambidae family (31 species) and 704 individuals. The dominance of these families at 33 % and 22 %, respectively, highlights their significance in this ecosystem. The findings emphasize the importance of studying the population dynamics, distribution, and abundance of moth species in the urban disturbed Garbhanga Reserve Forest providing valuable insights into the ecosystem's health and biodiversity.