In the comprehensive rearing of lepidopterans from peninsular India, eleven species of Lycaenidae were parasitized by ten species of wasps. Four new taxa of lycaenid associated microgastrine wasps Parapanteles eros Gupta n. sp., P. arka Gupta n. sp., P. esha Gupta n. sp., and P. regale Gupta n. sp. reared from Chilades pandava (Horsfield), Curetis thetis (Drury), Prosotas dubiosa (Semper), Tajuria cippus (Fabricius), respectively, are described with diagnostic details and illustrations along with documentation of six species of wasps viz., Apanteles folia, Apanteles sp., Protapanteles sp. 01 & 02 (Braconidae), Charops obtusus obtusus Morley (Ichneumonidae), and Brachymeria lasus (Walker) (Chalcididae). This is the first record of host-parasitoid association of lycaenid butterflies with Parapanteles. Wasps from three different families were recorded: Braconidae, Ichneumonidae, and Chalcididae. The parasitoid species were reared from the following Lycaenidae hosts: Anthene lycaenina (Felder), Arhopala amantes Hewitson, Chilades pandava (Horsfield), Curetis thetis (Drury), Jamides celeno (Cramer), Prosotas dubiosa (Semper), Rathinda amor (Fabricius), Spindasis vulcanus (Fabricius), Tajuria cippus (Fabricius), Tarucus balkanicus nigra Bethune-Baker, and Tarucus callinara Butler. All lycaenids were collected from peninsular India, except T. callinara (central India). A comparative account of all newly described species is provided along with the detailed illustrated description and differences vis-à-vis its closely allied Indian species. Also a comprehensive table comprising parasitoid species, associated host, stage of parasitism, and nature of cocoon is provided.

The present study was carried out to reveal the butterfly species diversity in the Jabalpur City, Madhya Pradesh, India.  Study was carried out from January 2008 to 2018. A total of 112 species were recorded, with an addition of 41 new species for Jabalpur district and one species for the state of Madhya Pradesh.  Of the total, 42 species were very common, five were frequent common, 18 were rare, and four were very rare. Nymphalidae was dominant with 39 species, followed by Lycaenidae with 38, Pieridae with 15 species, Hesperiidae with 14, Papilionidae with eight and Riodinidae with one species.  About six species of the recorded ones come under the protection category of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.  The study illustrated the value of Jabalpur City area in hosting valuable resources for butterflies.

Climate change is one of the leading challenges of this century with an impending threat to wipe out more vital butterfly species than ever before. Climate shift has the potential to affect their life cycles, flight times, essential bio-interactions, and ultimately survival. As the first such study in India, this case study highlights the inferential discussion on the importance of butterflies in maintaining the earth’s fragile ecological balance and consequently the impact of climate change upon them with inadvertent implications. Due to the shifting climate, a number of butterfly species are now migrating to newer places in their search for comfortable temperature and availability of food, as the reduction/loss/change of habitat lowers the diversity of microclimates and availability of food plants for larvae and adult butterflies. Consequently, the butterflies become even more vulnerable to natural perturbations and susceptible to predators and local extinctions.