Seasonal Changes in Butterfly Communities Across Land Use Types in Ibadan, Oyo State, South West Nigeria

This study examines seasonal changes in butterfly communities across three land use types in Ibadan, Oyo State, located in Nigeria's South West geopolitical zone. Butterflies are valuable ecological indicators of habitat quality and pollinator service providers, and understanding how their communities change seasonally across different land uses is important for urban conservation planning. Transect counts were conducted monthly over eight months at secondary forest, active farmland, and urban green space sites within and around Ibadan metropolis. Butterflies were recorded within five metres on each side of a fixed 100-metre transect. Species were identified in the field using photographic guides, and diversity indices were calculated. A total of 71 butterfly species from eight families were recorded. Nymphalidae was the most species-rich family (34 species), followed by Lycaenidae (18 species). Secondary forest supported the highest species richness and abundance of forest-specialist species, while urban green spaces were dominated by generalist Pieridae and Papilionidae. Butterfly abundance peaked in the early wet season (April to June) across all land use types, coinciding with increased flowering plant resources. Species unique to secondary forest were not recorded in urban or farmland sites. The study demonstrates the irreplaceable value of remnant secondary forest fragments within peri-urban Ibadan for butterfly conservation and recommends protection of existing forest patches and planting of nectar-rich native plant species in urban parks. Keywords: butterfly communities, seasonal variation, land use, Ibadan, Nymphalidae.