Need for Conservation:

• Butterflies feed on nectar from the flowers of flowering plants and in turn serve as major pollinators to many species of plants including crop grown by farmers. Medicinal crops like Cadaba fruticosa (Kukka vominta) are only pollinatd by butterflies of certain species.
• Caterpillers of most butterflies feed on weed plant leaves and grow over them without harming the agricultural crop. They are natural weedicides and friends to farmers.
• Butterflies are an important part of the food chain component of birds, reptiles and spiders.
• Butterflies are one of the better indicators of environmental changes, being sensitive to the atmospheric changes, habitat changes and weather conditions.
• Butterflies are of great aesthetic value being beautiful and can serve as tourist attractions to certain places, thus earning important revenue to the government.

How do butterflies become endengered:

• Habitat destruction by deforestation causes the butterflies to loose their natural habitat.
• Use of pestisides and weedicids causes near wipeout of certain species from an area.
• Large scale eco-tourism to vulnerable butterfly habitats harms many butterfly species.
• Poaching of rare species also harms the butterfly population.

Measures to be taken:

• Institutions may be motivated and trained to establish butterfly gardens and encourage students to study butterflies. This will create awareness and curiosity among students to learn and protect the species.
• Many Countries including India have already taken adaquate measures for protection of butterflies and their habitat. Poaching is banned and is a punishable act.