author(s)
Bimal Raj Shrestha, Manoj Sharma, Kiran Thapa Magar, Prakash Gaudel, Min Bahadur Gurung and Buddhiram Oli

abstract
The present investigation was conducted to study the diversity and status of butterflies at different sacred forests of Kathmandu valley, Nepal. Study was conducted at four sacred forests; Suryabinayak Sacred Forest (SSF), Dakshinkali Sacred Forest (DSF), Swyambhunath Sacred Forest (SwSF) and Pashupatinath Sacred Forest (PSF) of Kathmandu valley, throughout the year 2017. The status of butterflies was categorized into four categories; very rare, rare, fairly common and common on the basis of number of individual encountered. A total of 77 butterfly species under 56 genera and six families were recorded. Family Nymphalidae represented the highest butterfly abundance and richness and found dominated in all sacred forest. Pieris canidia was the most abundant species recorded throughout the study period. SSF contributed highest abundance and richness of butterfly with four rare, 19 rare, 21 fairly common and 18 common butterfly species. Unmanaged pollution, high human intervention, number of open access tracks etc. were the major threats we reported basically in the SwSF and PSF. This is the first comprehensive study on butterflies at sacred forests of Nepal. Hence, we strongly recommend to address such issues through scientific research and ecological study for conservation.