Abstract
In a study on the insect fauna of Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary, 374 species of insects mostly belonging to Lepidoptera, Coleoptera and Hemiptra were recorded. The fauna was rich and diverse and contained several rare and protected species. Among butterflies, of the 74 species recorded, six species (Chilasa clytia, Appias lyncida, appias libythea, Mycalesis anaxias, Hypolimnas misippus and Castalius rolimon) are protected under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act. Similarly, four species of butterflies, Papilio buddha, Papilio polymnestor, Troides minos, and Cirrochroa thais, recorded in this study are rare and restricted in distribution. The moth fauna is rich in arboreal feeding forms indicating an undistrubed forest patch in the area. Certain species associated with herbaceous ground vegetation are of economic importance, being already reported as pests of various agricultural crops. Beetles are also abundant, being dominated by phytophagous and scavenger forms, the former feeding mostly on herbaceous ground flora and the latter associated with animal exvreta. The bugs recorded in this study included mostly phytophagous forms. The hymenopterans contained several species of solitary bees and wasps. An inventory of 382 species of insects recorded from the Sanctuary is given.