BACKYARD DIVERSITY: A SMALL STEP TOWARDS CONSERVATION, A BIG LEAP TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY Sanchari Sarkar ퟏ and Moitreyee Banerjee Chakrabarty ퟏ ퟏ Department of Conservation Biology, Durgapur Government College, Kazi Nazrul University, Durgapur, West Bengal [email protected]

INTRODUCTION: THE BUTTERFLIES: THE DRAGONFLIES: ‘Backyard Biodiversity’, a new initiative to record species found in gardens. In the recent Neurothemis tullia Rhyothemis variegata Potamarcha congener Orthetrum sabina Rhodothemis rufa times of industrialization and deforestation, Ariadne merione Junonia iphita Graphium doson Appias libythea backyard biodiversity can be a new hope to Dragonfly Family Host Family : Neurothemis tullia Libellulidae Cynodon dactylon Poaceae sustainability of nature. Rhyothemis variegata Libellulidae Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Malvaceae STUDY SITE: Rosa sp. Rosoideae Papilio demoleus (Male) Papilio demoleus (female) Mines Rescue Station, a residential complex, Potamarcha congener Libellulidae Rosa sp. Rosoideae with an area of 43,933.29 m² area is situated in Orthetrum sabina Libellulidae Rosa sp. Rosoideae the outskirts of Asansol, West Bengal. Rhodothemis rufa Libellulidae Coccinia grandis Cucurbitaceae Latitude: 23.7073 N Neptis hylas Papilio polytes Leptosia nina Longitude: 86.9093 E Host plant and Butterfly: Result and discussion: MATERIAL AND METHOD: Butterfly Family Host Plant Family The diversity of the dragonfly in this particular region is Ariadne merione Nymphalidae Basella alba Basellaceae restricted to a single family. The host seems to be The pictorial data was taken Junonia iphita Nymphalidae dry twig and bark suitable for this single family only. Graphium doson Papilionidae Tabernaemontana with the Nikon D3500 DSLR divaricata Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Malvaceae BIRDS AND TREE ASSOCIATION: camera. In total of there are 218 tree species along with 24 bird Appias libythea Pieridae Rosa sp. Rosoideae Papilio demoleus Papilionidae Ixora coccinea Rubiaceae species. Presenting the full check list was not possible so Rosa sp. Rosoideae on the basis of abundance, top 10 tree species are listed The present study was a preliminary survey of and plotted with the number of bird species associated. the various ecological interactions within nature Danaus chrysippus Nymphalidae daemia Apocynaceae 30 Tree abundance and no. of bird association Abundance Cascabela thebetia Apocynaceae 25 Hypolimnas bolina Nymphalidae nodiflora No. Of bird species seen easily in our gardens. 20 Neptis hylas Nymphalidae Ixora coccinea Rubiaceae ANT NEST: Calopogonium sp. Fabaceae 15 Papilio polytes Papilionidae Ixora coccinea Rubiaceae 10 Citrus sp Rutaceae Two nests of Oecophylla smaragdina, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Malvaceae 5

Leptosia nina Pieridae Ageratum sp. Asteraceae 0 Polyalthia longifolia Ficus Benghalensis Mangifera indica Aegeles marmelos Ficus religiosa Peltophorum Artocarpus Dioscorea sp. Moringa oleifera Psidium guajava commonly known as the weaver ant, was Vernonia sp. pterocarpum heterophyllus spotted weaving their nest on Psidium guajava Tridax procumbens Result and discussion: and on Ixora coccinea. Result and discussion: No. of plants does not matter to birds. The crown, food i) Diversity of butterfly is restricted to only 3 families and protection are the primary requirement for the birds ii) Visual observation of a small period does not give a clear to associate to a particular tree species. idea about the preferential host plant, thus giving an opportunity of further study. Psidium guajava Ixora coccinea SMALL PICTORIAL STUDY OF THE GROWTH OF CATERPILLAR: These weaver ants not only play an important Shikra Alexandrine Parakit(Vulnerable) Prinia Oriole role in the ecosystem but is also a source CONCLUSION: House garden and backyard can be a great place for protein and fat when consumed. In these biodiversity. A small attention to nature can result to big are also used for medicinal purposes. conservation. Acknoledgement: The future growth are still under study Somapika Seal, Msc, Department of Conservation Biology