Species Composition and Local Assessment of Butterflies in Sipaka, Talisayan, Misamis Oriental, Philippines

Abstract

Butterflies are bio-indicators of a healthy environment. There are studies in the species composition and status of butterflies however, there is still in need to determine it species richness especially in some areas in the Philippines. The study aims to determine the species composition and local status of butterflies in Mt. Sipaka, Talisayan, Misamis Oriental. The butterflies were collected using a catching net and traps. The sampling techniques include belt transect, quadrat sampling, and opportunistic sampling from November to December. The present study revealed 36 species of butterflies collected from Mt. Sipaka, Talisayan Misamis Oriental which belongs to five (5) families and 29 genera. The local status of butterflies in Mt. Sipaka revealed 13 common species, 12 very common, three rare species, and eight very rare species of butterflies. Therefore, Mt. Sipaka is a home of the 36 species of butterflies and with mostly common butterflies’ species. The present study implies that species richness and status of butterflies is potential for ecotourism project such as butterfly garden.