Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve

Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve is one of the best butterfly spots in India. Of 330 species recorded from the Western Ghats, 316 species have been reported from the NBR.

Butterflies are important economically as agents of pollination. The caterpillars of some butterflies eat harmful insects. A few species are pests because in their larval stages they can damage domestic crops or trees. Butterflies' life cycle consists of four parts, egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight.

Culturally, butterflies are a popular motif in the visual and literary arts.