Diversity of butterfly (order: Lepidoptera) at R.E.A.C.H Biodiversity Centre Forest, Cameron Highland.

Regional Environmental Awareness Cameron Highland (R.E.A.C.H) is a community based organization which is formed in year 2001 by a group of Cameron Highland residents. R.E.A.C.H has established a Biodiversity Centre in year 2015. R.E.A.C.H Biodiversity Centre is surrounded by rehabilitated forest which is 16 years old, aims to reforest the flora and fauna around the center. A study on diversity of butterfly has been conducted at R.E.A.C.H Biodiversity Centre Forest, Cameron Highland from July to August 2016. The aim of this study was to determine the diversity of butterfly species at R.E.A.C.H Biodiversity Centre Forest, Cameron Highland and to construct a pictorial identification key of butterfly species collected from R.E.A.C.H Biodiversity Centre Forest, Cameron Highland. Aerial net and butterfly trap methods were used to sample the butterfly. A total of 27 individuals belonging to 11 species from four families were recorded in this study. Lycaenidae and Nymphalidae was the most dominant family with four species, followed by Hesperiidae with two species. All the butterfly species collected were the most common highland species. Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index showed high butterfly species diversity with H‟=2.154, Pielou‟s Evenness Index with J‟=0.90 while high butterfly species richness in Margalef‟s Index with DMG=3.03 at R.E.A.C.H Biodiversity Centre Forest, Cameron Highland. The diversity of butterfly in the R.E.A.C.H Biodiversity Centre Forest, Cameron Highland is considered high. A pictorial identification key was constructed for the butterfly species by referring their
morphological characteristics. As a conclusion, the diversity and abundance of butterfly species at R.E.A.C.H Biodiversity Centre Forest, Cameron Highland is high due to the reforestation of the forest. Rehabilitation forest was successful to attract common highland butterfly species. Further research of diversity of butterfly species should be conducted in future in order to protect the diversity of butterfly species in Malaysia.