Roads are vital for human societies, yet they can also have negative impacts on the ecological communities that live in close proximity to them. Insect pollinators, which nest and forage in road verges running alongside roads, are a group of particular importance. These verges may act as an "ecological trap," drawing insect pollinators into contact with traffic, increasing the risk of pollinator-traffic collisions. Spanning six European regions, we evaluated the complex relationships between traffic, road verge floral composition, and surrounding land use to understand how these factors influence abundance and richness of bees, butterflies, and hoverflies sampled within road verges. Across the study, we observed 10,960 pollinators belonging to 293 species of bees, butterflies, and hoverflies. We observed greater pollinator abundance in verges with higher flower cover, and greater pollinator richness in verges with more species of flowering plants. Lower abundances of bees and butterflies and lower species richness of bees were observed when traffic speed in the adjacent road was higher. This study indicates that road verges with abundant and diverse floral resources support more abundant and diverse pollinator populations, especially on verges alongside lower speed roads. We recommend that lower speed roads should be prioritized for floral enhancements.

Butterflies, belonging to the order Lepidoptera, are highly sensitive to environmental changes, and both natural processes and human activities have increasingly altered their habitats in recent years. In highly urbanized regions such as Colombo and its surrounding areas where rapid land-use conversion, infrastructure expansion, and population growth continue at an accelerated pace these changes have resulted in extensive habitat loss and fragmentation, posing a significant threat to the survival and diversity of many butterfly species. This study aims to identify the diversity and distribution of butterfly species by selecting Kurunduwatta Grama Niladhari Division as an urban area and Mulleriyawa Grama Niladhari Division as a semi-urban area. The Kurunduwatta Grama Niladhari Division, characterized as an urban environment, consists predominantly of built-up residential and commercial structures with limited green spaces, home gardens, and ornamental vegetation. In contrast, the Mulleriyawa Grama Niladhari Division represents a semi-urban landscape that includes a greater extent of home gardens, scattered agricultural fields, water bodies, and patches of natural vegetation that provide more suitable habitats for butterfly populations. Field observations were conducted in November 2024 during the time periods of 8:30-10:00 a.m. and 4:00-5:30 p.m. on 12 sampling sites. Data were collected on the number of individuals and the habitats of each butterfly species. The guidebook “Common Butterflies of Sri Lanka” was used for species identification. The Shannon diversity index was applied to calculate species diversity and abundance. A total of 5 butterfly species were recorded from Kurunduwatta, while 13 species were recorded from Mulleriyawa. The Shannon diversity index value for Kurunduwatta was 1.45, whereas for Mulleriyawa it was 2.3. According to this study, Mulleriyawa had relatively higher butterfly diversity. The most abundant species in the Kurunduwatta area was the Common Sailer (Neptis hylas), while in Mulleriyawa the most abundant species was Psyche (Leptosia nina). Seasonal changes, particularly the pre and post monsoon periods, have a significant influence on butterfly distribution. The key finding of this study is that semi-urban zones play a decisive role as transitional habitats for butterflies. Keywords: Urban and semi-urban butterflies, Butterfly diversity, Butterfly abundance, Shannon diversity index

Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) are ecologically important insects recognized as effective bioindicators due to their sensitivity to climatic fluctuations, habitat disturbance, and vegetation composition. Uttar Pradesh (UP), India’s largest state by population, represents a unique ecological mosaic comprising the Terai belt, Gangetic floodplains, extensive agricultural landscapes, wetlands, scrublands, and semi-arid Bundelkhand habitats. These diverse landscapes provide a broad range of microhabitats and floral resources that support butterfly assemblages. This review synthesizes available literature and ecological observations regarding butterfly diversity and seasonal abundance patterns in Uttar Pradesh and comparable North Indian regions. Evidence suggests that butterfly diversity in UP is strongly influenced by habitat heterogeneity, larval host plant distribution, nectar plant phenology, and climatic variables such as rainfall, humidity, and temperature. Post-monsoon and spring seasons generally exhibit maximum species richness and abundance due to favorable environmental conditions and high floral productivity. In contrast, extreme summer heat reduces butterfly activity and survival, while heavy monsoon rainfall can suppress adult flight behavior temporarily. Studies across northern India indicate that families Nymphalidae and Lycaenidae typically dominate species richness, while Pieridae frequently show high abundance in open habitats and agroecosystems. Rapid urbanization, agricultural intensification, pesticide usage, wetland degradation, and habitat fragmentation are major threats to butterfly populations in UP. The review emphasises the importance of standardized monitoring approaches such as Pollard walk transects, long-term phenological recording, and integration of citizen science platforms. Conservation strategies including habitat restoration, creation of butterfly corridors, promotion of butterfly-friendly farming, riparian vegetation protection, and urban biodiversity planning are recommended. This review provides an updated conceptual framework for future research and conservation planning aimed at safeguarding butterfly diversity and ecological stability in Uttar Pradesh.

Butterflies are beautiful as well as an important part of nature. Butterflies are good indicators of a healthy ecosystem and act as good pollinator agents, increasing the productivity of plants by promoting fertilisation. The objectives of the present survey are focused on the assessment of the diversity and seasonal variation of butterflies and their host plants found at Mukutmanipur. Mukutmanipur is known for its green forest, dam, birding hotspot, and habitat of chital deer. This survey was carried out from February 2024 to January 2025 and divided into four seasons- pre-monsoon, monsoon, post-monsoon and winter. Species diversity of butterflies was measured by using relative density, relative abundance, relative frequency, Shannon index, Simpson’s diversity index, Margalef index etc. Analysis of season-wise distribution of species diversity indices was done through single-factor ANOVA. Individual rarefaction analysis was conducted study seasonal variation. Hierarchical classical clustering was done between seasons through the Jaccard similarity index through UPGMA. 42 species of butterflies were reported under five families. The current study indicates abundant butterflies belonging to the Nymphalidae family with 18 species. The highest count of butterflies was observed during the monsoon season and this reflection is also evident in individual rarefaction analysis. Season-based hierarchical cluster analysis shows higher similarity of butterflies between the monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. A checklist of the butterflies found in this region is also prepared. Lantana, Imperata and Calotropis were found to be the most favoured host plants of the butterflies of the study area

Abstract Butterfly populations have experienced substantial declines in recent decades due to land‐use change, agricultural intensification and climate change. In the UK uplands, the impact of livestock grazing on butterfly populations has not been well documented. In this study we used long‐term monitoring from the Ingleborough National Nature Reserve in the English uplands to examine the impact of sheep grazing, cattle grazing and ungrazed management on butterfly abundance and species diversity across an upland calcareous site. Lightly cattle‐grazed sites were found to have 4.9 times the abundance of butterflies compared to sites lightly grazed by sheep. There were 3.6 times as many butterflies on ungrazed sites compared to sheep‐grazed sites. The species richness of butterflies was also significantly higher on cattle‐grazed and ungrazed sites compared to sheep‐grazed sites. Our study provides evidence of the conservation benefits of low‐intensity cattle grazing for butterfly abundance and diversity on calcareous grasslands in the UK uplands. Practical implication . For effective butterfly conservation, a shift from sheep grazing to light cattle grazing or stock exclusion in upland calcareous landscapes should be considered.

The aim of the paper is to analyse in a broader context Stanisław Adawczewski’s article A Glance at the changes in the fauna of Warsaw and its surroundings caused by the war. Stanisław Adamczewski (1909–1987) was a Polish entomologist, professionally associated with the Institute of Zoology at the Polish Academy of Sciences; from 1930 until the end of his life, Adamczewski held various positions at the State Zoological Museum (later Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences). Adamczewski conducted research on the species composition and abundance of butterflies in the Białowieża Forest and in the environments exposed to anthropogenic pressure (Warsaw). His articles not only analyses the changes and damage that the war inflicted on nature during World War II, but also carries a tremendous emotional weight as it depicts life in the occupied city—both human and animal. Adamczewski focuses on the eco-systemic changes affecting various species, most often those coexisting with humans, and therefore readily observed in everyday life. The unequivocal conclusion of his approach is that nature—flora and fauna, plants, domesticated animals, wild animals and birds—are war casualties just as well.

This study investigated the diversity and abundance of butterflies in Tokha Municipality, Ward No. 2 and 3, Kathmandu, Nepal from November 2023 to January 2024 using pollard walk method. During the study period, 219 individuals of 47 butterfly species were documented, with an overall Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H) of 3.17 and an evenness (E) of 0.823. The study area encompasses 3 different habitats: forest, agriculture land and settlement area where the forest habitat had the highest species richness (H= 29). Among the 6 families detected, Nymphalidae family was the most dominant with 19 species. When assessing the diversity on a monthly basis, the species richness was the highest in November (N=32) and least in January (N=16). This study provides baseline data for monitoring the butterfly population under the influence of rapid urbanization and environmental changes occurring in this area.

Butterflies are important pollinators worldwide and are often sensitive indicators of ecosystem health. Prescribed fire is used in grassland to mimic historic wildfires, improve forage nutritional value, and increased forb production and diversity. However, there is little understanding of prescribed fire effects on butterfly populations. We evaluated effects of winter and summer prescribed burning and time since burning on butterfly population abundance, richness, and diversity in the Gulf Prairies and Marshes ecoregion of southern Texas. We evaluated these over a two-year period in both Gulf cordgrass and non-Gulf cordgrass grasslands. We hypothesized that summer burning would have greater positive impact on butterfly populations by increasing forb yields. We found no effects of winter burning on butterfly abundance, richness, or diversity. Summer burning reduced butterfly abundance during 5 months and richness during 6 months of our study, even as long as two years after burning. Abundance and richness were only increased by summer burning during one month of our study, in patches burned 6 and 18 months previously. Summer burning did not affect Shannon's Diversity Index; however, it did create differences in dominance among treatments as measured by Simpson's index during two months of our study. The presence of Gulf cordgrass did not affect butterfly populations; however, in Gulf cordgrass-dominated rangelands butterfly abundance was greater closer to woody mottes. We reject our hypothesis and recommend burning during winter months in southern Texas to avoid possible negative impacts on butterfly populations.

Abstract The global decline of insects in general and pollinators in particular poses a significant threat to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Butterflies serve as sensitive indicators of environmental changes due to their specific habitat requirements and rapid responses to ecosystem alterations. Available studies are mostly devoted to analysing the effect of anthropogenic disturbance on the abundance and diversity of butterflies within disturbed landscape matrices. In this study we investigated how disturbances influenced butterfly populations within an undisturbed landscape matrix usually overlooked in the literature. Eighteen sites were monitored biweekly from May to September over 3 years (2022–2024) using standardized visual counts along 500‐m long transects. Grazing intensity and the surface of human‐disturbed lands were used as a measure of disturbance at local and landscape scales. A total of 16,017 individuals and 78 species were recorded. No significant differences in species richness or abundance were observed across the land use types, but analyses showed distinct species compositions between cultivated sites and grasslands. Butterfly community compositions were mainly influenced by structural habitat characteristics rather than land use. Low grazing intensity and the presence of forests in the surroundings positively influenced the abundance and species richness of butterflies. Within an undisturbed landscape matrix, cultivations play a different ecological role than in disturbed landscape matrix increasing landscape heterogeneity and butterfly diversity and hosting ecotonal communities. Anyway, disturbed land use types inhabit impoverished butterfly communities compared to semi‐natural ones in which the presence of protected species further emphasizes their critical role for conservation.

Abstract Beavers are second only to humans in their capacity to transform landscapes. Biodiversity responses to their habitat engineering activities are well studied but rarely so ‘beyond the pond’ despite habitat alteration commonly extending into more terrestrial environments. Potentially profound spillover effects on, for example, pollinator communities, may therefore be overlooked. In this study, we compared plant communities, pollinator communities and plant–pollinator networks around beaver wetlands and human‐created ponds. Specifically, we tested if these wetland types differ in terms of (1) plant species richness and community composition, (2) pollinator species richness and abundance, and the floral characteristics (number of species in flower and maximum flower coverage) to which pollinators respond and (3) specialisation of their plant‐pollinator networks. Plant composition but not species richness differed between the two wetland types. Beaver wetlands supported more ruderal and competitor indicator species, whereas human‐created ponds had more stress tolerators. Hoverfly richness (+29%), hoverfly abundance (+119%) and butterfly abundance (+45%) were higher in beaver wetlands, the former two being positively associated with number of species in flower and maximum flower coverage, and the latter with open habitats. Butterfly richness and both the richness and abundance of bees and moths showed no difference between wetland types. Hoverflies were the dominant flower visitor in beaver wetlands and bees in human‐created ponds, but network level specialisation did not differ significantly between the two wetland types. Synthesis and applications . Our results show that beaver wetlands boost hoverfly richness/abundance and butterfly abundance and diversify foraging resources for pollinators while comparing favourably with human‐created ponds for other pollinators. Support for beaver wetlands, in tandem with riparian buffers and pond margins, should therefore be advocated in agri‐environment schemes to recognise the pollinator services they provide.

ABSTRACT Evidence for significant declines in insects makes understanding the temporal dynamics of tropical communities a high priority. Here, we address the role of weather in influencing patterns of variation in butterflies across a steep rainfall gradient in western Ecuador. We address three questions: (1) How do climatic factors, driving seasonal patterns in butterfly communities, change across the climatic gradient? (2) Is weather more important in influencing abundance and richness in more seasonal sites than more aseasonal sites? (3) Do wet versus dry‐adapted species show similar patterns of seasonality regardless of the ecosystem? We sampled bait‐attracted butterflies at three forest sites for three consecutive years, in total, 7046 individuals of 212 species were recorded. Butterfly communities exhibited conspicuous intra‐ and inter‐annual variation in temporal dynamics of abundance and species richness, with overall abundance likely synchronized across study sites and years in seasonal forests but not in the aseasonal forest. The highest numbers of species and individuals occurred during the wet season across all study sites and years, and indeed, rainfall was significantly positively associated with abundance. In addition, the highest abundance of dry and wet forest species occurred in both seasonal sites during 2012, the year with highest rainfall, whereas wet forest species peaked a year later in the aseasonal forest, following the pattern of the entire community at this site. These results show how temporal patterns of butterflies depend on the ecosystem type and rainfall regime and underline the significance of weather, as a driver of population trends in seasonal forests.

In 2024, the European Union implemented its Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR) to restore degraded ecosystems and to reverse the loss of biodiversity. One of the objectives is to increase biodiversity in agricultural systems. To measure progress towards this goal, Member States need to report two out of three indicators, one of which is the Grassland Butterfly Index (GBI). The GBI represents a composite index which combines the trends of 17 butterfly species, some widespread and some more specialised, considered as typical for grassland habitats across Europe. The aim of the present study was to calculate a first version of the GBI for Germany using data collected within the German butterfly monitoring scheme from 2006 to 2023. For this purpose, two methodological approaches were applied: (1) the approach prescribed by the NRR (EU 2024) and (2) an alternative approach which includes other frequently applied methods to analyse time series from biodiversity monitoring schemes. Depending on the methodological approach, the GBI showed a stable development (approach 1) or a moderate decline (approach 2) over the entire study period. Both approaches, however, showed a significant decline over the last 10 years, which mainly seems to be a result of low butterfly abundances in recent years. A closer examination of the underlying species trends indicated that habitat specialists tended to suffer most from declines. These results largely correspond to patterns found in other regions and at the European scale and suggest that butterflies inhabiting agricultural systems are under threat. However, the reasons for the negative trends require further research. There is also a clear need to improve the representativity and robustness of the indicator at the national scale. Several options for expanding monitoring and widening the data basis are discussed.

Abstract. Cabardo ELO, Austria ES, Salamanes JJDP. 2025. Butterfly diversity and conservation implications in Real, Quezon, Philippines. Biodiversitas 26: 4363-4373. Butterflies are key bioindicators of environmental health, yet systematic studies on lowland butterfly assemblages in the Philippines are scarce, leaving a crucial gap in biodiversity knowledge and conservation planning. This study aimed to document the diversity, abundance, and habitat associations of butterflies in Brgy. Malapad, Real, Quezon (a lowland barangay within the Sierra Madre Biodiversity Corridor) and to assess their conservation implications. Sampling was conducted from March to June 2024 in two distinct sites: a riparian zone near Nonok Falls and a secondary forest. Using Pollard Walk transects, bait traps, and opportunistic netting, 103 individuals representing 27 species, 22 genera, and 5 families were recorded. Nymphalidae was the most dominant family in terms of species richness and abundance. The riparian zone showed notably higher species richness (20 species), diversity (H?: 2.8115, 1?D: 0.9486), and evenness (J?: 0.9385) than the secondary forest with 13 species, diversity (H?: 2.1630, 1?D: 0.8667), and evenness (J?: 0.7346). Community composition between the two habitats differed substantially, as indicated by a Bray-Curtis dissimilarity index of 0.748. This dissimilarity was statistically supported by a significant Hutcheson t-test (t: 4.444), confirming a marked difference in butterfly diversity between sites. One species, Notocrypta paralysos, was classified as Vulnerable, while five species were endemic to the Philippines. The presence of both endemic and threatened species highlights the urgent need to prioritize lowland habitats in regional conservation strategies. These findings underscore the conservation importance of lowland ecosystems and highlight the need to integrate butterfly diversity data into local conservation planning. This study offers a vital baseline for biodiversity monitoring and supports sustainable land-use and community-based habitat management efforts.

ABSTRACT Farmland biodiversity is known to be showing sharp declines worldwide, mainly due to agricultural intensification. Within this scenario, the identification of agricultural practices providing economic benefits to farmers and, at the same time, favoring higher biodiversity levels is a key challenge. Aiming at assessing the benefit to biological diversity of certain types of agricultural management practices, we analyzed the effects of legume crops, in comparison to dry cereal crops, on biodiversity proxies in central Spain. We compared species richness, abundance, and functional diversity of birds, butterflies, and other flower-visiting insects between legume crops fields versus cereal fields. We selected three nitrogen-fixing crop types: alfalfa, peas, and vetch, being the first one under two different management systems, irrigated and non-irrigated. We found that all the taxonomic groups had higher species richness and abundance in legume crops than cereal crops, being highest in alfalfa than in the other legume crop types. Finally, it is important to note that some management types of legume crops may be detrimental to species that breed, forage, or rest in these habitats. Consequently, we recommend that efforts to promote legume crops for biodiversity conservation should be accompanied by appropriate management practices especially during the avian breeding season.

Abstract Insect pollinators are declining globally, with habitat fragmentation recognised as an important driver. While these declines have garnered widespread public and policy attention, current evidence remains largely limited to certain taxa, geographic regions and ecosystems, thereby resulting in diverse outcomes. Here, we aimed to present a global meta‐analysis using a dataset comprising 80 studies across 28 countries on all continents, excluding Antarctica. We used Pearson's correlation coefficient ( r ) as an effect size to measure the association between habitat fragmentation and the abundance and species richness of wild bees, butterflies and wasps. Subsequently, we performed categorical meta‐analyses that used fragmentation indices, climates and taxonomic groups as moderators to investigate the dependency of habitat fragmentation effects on these factors. Increasing habitat fragmentation was significantly associated with reductions in both the abundance ( r = −0.26, 95% CI: −0.39, −0.12) and species richness ( r = −0.46, 95% CI: −0.55, −0.35) of insect pollinators. The magnitude of these associations varied depending on the evaluated fragmentation index. Specifically, pollinator abundance ( r = −0.43, 95% CI: −0.56, −0.29) and species richness ( r = −0.62, 95% CI: −0.71, −0.52) significantly decreased with reduced habitat area. Synthesis and applications. Our results show that insect pollinators have declined globally due to habitat fragmentation. Reduced habitat area was the main driver of pollinator decline. The findings indicate that preserving large habitats can support more insect pollinators. This implies that policies must target the landscape scale to mitigate the negative effects of habitat fragmentation.

This study a specific case: whether alterations in butterfly habitats resulting from Swamp Land Conversion (SLC) impact the diversity, species count, and abundance of butterflies, which act as pollinating insects, within Palembang city. This study employs observational methods with a roaming technique, conducted five times at each research location. The research sites were determined using purposive sampling. The findings reveal a total of 230 individual butterflies from 19 species, distributed among five families: Hesperiidae, Lycaenidae, Nymphalidae, Papilionidae, and Pieridae. The highest butterfly diversity index value is recorded at the Alang-Alang Lebar SLC location, whereas the lowest butterfly diversity index value is observed at the swamp land (SL) location. The most recent findings from this study is SLC lead to an increase in the diversity index, species count, and individual butterfly numbers of the Lepidoptera order, particularly in Alang-Alang Lebar SLC and Jakabaring SLC, as compared to SL location on Sungai Ijuk SL. The results suggest that SLC can contribute to the conservation of butterfly species belonging to the Nymphalidae, Papilionidae, Hesperiidae, and Lycaenidae families except the Pieridae family

Butterflies are well known for their ecological services as good pollinators and bioindicators of ecosystem health. The current study examined the diversity and abundance of butterflies on the Acharya Prafulla Chandra College campus between November and March. A total of 36 species from 5 families were identified. The family Lycaenidae contributed the most species (13), while Hesperiidae only had two. The family Pieridae (34%) displayed the highest abundance count, indicating its dominance within the assemblage, followed by Lycaenidae (24.7%), Nymphalidae (20.7%), Papilionidae (18.7%), and Hesperiidae (1.8%). Species were categorized as rare, regular, or abundant, with community structure reflecting the coexistence of a few dominant taxa alongside several rare ones. Diversity peaked in November (H? = 3.355, Simpson 1–D = 0.9602), which corresponded with favorable floral resources, demonstrating seasonal variation. Rank abundance curves showed a log-normal distribution of species, indicating ecological stability, and rarefaction analysis validated sufficient sampling effort. NMDS showed distinct clustering and separation of butterfly assemblages across habitat types, reflecting habitat heterogeneity. Pieridae and Nymphalidae occupied multiple habitats, whereas Lycaenidae and Papilionidae were associated with specific vegetation, particularly nectar-rich ornamental gardens. Overall, the results provide baseline data for long-term monitoring and conservation plans, highlighting the significance of the college campus's semi-urban landscape as a butterfly habitat.

(1) Background: Urban parks play a critical role in conserving biodiversity within city landscapes, yet the effects of fine-scale microhabitat heterogeneity remain poorly understood. This study examines how land cover and vegetation unit type within parks influence butterfly diversity. (2) Methods: From July to September 2019 and June to September 2020, adult butterflies were surveyed in 27 urban parks across Beijing. We classified vegetation into units based on vertical structure and management intensity, and then applied the patch–matrix framework and landscape metrics to quantify fine-scale heterogeneity in vegetation unit composition and configuration. Generalized linear models (GLM), generalized additive models (GAM), and random forest (RF) models were applied to identify factors influencing butterfly richness (Chao1 index) and abundance. (3) Results: In total, 10,462 individuals representing 37 species, 28 genera, and five families were recorded. Model results revealed that the proportion of park area covered by spontaneous herbaceous areas (SHA), wooded spontaneous meadows (WSM), and the Shannon diversity index (SHDI) of vegetation units were positively associated with butterfly species richness. In contrast, butterfly abundance was primarily influenced by the proportion of park area covered by cultivated meadows (CM) and overall green-space coverage. (4) Conclusions: Fine-scale vegetation patch composition within urban parks significantly influences butterfly diversity. Our findings support applying the patch–matrix framework at intra-park scales and suggest that integrating spontaneous herbaceous zones—especially wooded spontaneous meadows—with managed flower-rich meadows will enhance butterfly diversity in urban parks.

Abstract Within the farmed landscape, trees outside woods (TOWs), such as hedgerows, copses and scattered trees, provide a variety of benefits for wildlife and people, but these are not well understood or recognised. Many TOWs continue to be lost from the landscape. We used butterflies as a model group and explored patterns in their abundance and species richness in relation to the extent and type of TOWs, using data from the UK's Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey. We explored farmers' views of TOWs using an online survey. In general, the predictive power of the statistical models was not high, but some clear patterns emerged. Small woodlands were positively associated with overall butterfly abundance and species richness, especially in more arable landscapes. Higher numbers of ancient trees were associated with higher butterfly species richness. Hedgerows and woody strips had a positive effect on five of seven common species studied. As woodland increased in the landscape, up to a certain level, so did the abundance of meadow brown Maniola jurtina, speckled wood Parare aegeria, ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus and comma Polygonia c‐album. More ancient woodland in the landscape was associated with more P. aegeria and A. hyperantus butterflies. Farmers viewed TOWs as having a range of benefits, including value for wildlife and the landscape, helping combat climate change, improving soil health and reducing flooding. Time, expense and long‐term commitment dominated farmer concerns around TOWs. Management knowledge and practice tended to be more consistent for hedgerows than for other types of TOWs. Most respondents indicated they would like more information on managing TOWs. Practical implication. Heterogeneous farmed landscapes rich in hedgerows, small woodlands and ancient trees were associated with more abundant and species‐rich butterfly communities than landscapes with few of these features. There was clear recognition by farmers of the benefits of TOWs for farming and the environment. Farmers should be better supported to help deliver these benefits, financially and through knowledge exchange. The protection and restoration of TOWs on farmland should be an essential part of efforts to address the biodiversity and climate crises and at the forefront of farm‐scale and landscape‐scale initiatives.

Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea), considered bioindicators of habitat conservation status, are one of the groups used to assess the impact of habitat management and improvement efforts in the Biological Station of Torretes (Ibi, Alicante, Spain). This area also houses the Botanical Garden of the University of Alicante. The study was focused on the period from autumn 2022 to late spring 2023, and data on butterfly diversity and abundance from the current study were compared with historical data. Our results highlight that open spaces and the availability of trophic resources (nutritional plants) were key factors influencing the richness and abundance of Papilionoidea. The program for the creation and maintenance of new habitats at the biological station has increased spatial heterogeneity and the availability of trophic resources, which has led to a significant increase in the richness and abundance of butterflies in a short period. To support the conservation of Mediterranean ecosystems, and entomofauna in general, the Papilionidae are proposed as model groups for designing conservation projects based on traditional habitat management. These projects should promote spatial heterogeneity, include programs to enrich plant diversity, and be complemented by environmental education and outreach initiatives.