Lepidoptera: um estudo sobre a importância das borboletas para a biodiversidade vegetal

Abstract

The present work aimed to study the importance of butterflies for plant biodiversity. It presents a descriptive qualitative approach, as it aims to study and observe the pollination mechanism carried out by butterflies, through direct observations and photographs, in addition to the collection of specimens for the production of an entomological box and a catalog with a detailed description and analysis of the visual behavior of the species. Twenty-six field visits were carried out, totaling 52 hours of active collection carried out weekly between September and December 2024 and February and March 2025. During this period, 21 species of butterflies belonging to 4 families were recorded, the majority of which were nectarivores, with emphasis on Anartia jatrophae (Linnaeus, 1763), which visited the largest number of plant species, especially Ixora chinensis, and butterflies of the genus Phoebis, such as Phoebis statira (Crammer, 1777), Phoebis argante (Fabricius, 1775) and Phoebis sennae (Linnaeus, 1758) which were quite frequent and abundant in the research area. The construction of the entomological boxes and the production of the catalog contributed to the deepening of knowledge about local biodiversity, serving as a didactic resource and support for teaching, research and environmental observation. The results highlight the ecological relevance of butterflies, especially in the context of pollination and maintenance of plant biodiversity.