Species richness and distribution of butterflies (Lepidoptera: Hesperioidea, Papilionoidea) in an agricultural environment in SE Finland
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33338/ef.83962Abstract
A five-year follow-up study was carried out to assess the species richness, adult flight period and distribution of butterflies in an agricultural environment in southeastern Finland in the years 1991-1995. Butterflies were monitored once a week from early May to late September on a 2.5-km field boundary transect. During 107 counts, a total of 49 species and 6 112 individuals were observed. More than half of all individuals (56%) were observed in July. The results of multivariate analyses indicated that the occurrence of species was related to three habitat types, classified as field margins dividing arable field and coniferous forest, arable field and deciduous forest and two arable fields. Species richness was higher in field margins near forests than in margins between two fields.
