Occurrence of Butterflies in Eastern and Central Uganda, 1932-2021
Citation
Collins S, Ward P, Sáfián S, Beta J, Obondo D (2023). Occurrence of Butterflies in Eastern and Central Uganda, 1932-2021. A Rocha Kenya. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/648pyd accessed via GBIF.org on 2024-12-15.Description
This dataset presents butterfly specimens collected from forests in Eastern and Central Uganda. Some of these specimens are stored in African Butterfly Research Institute while others are preserved in Peter Ward’s (111 Savannah Sands, Galloway Avenue, Douglasdale, 2191, South Africa) collection. A total number of 4186 butterflies were recorded with 477 species from the documented 6 butterfly families in Uganda. These include, Hesperiidae (70), Nymphalidae (204), Lycaenidae (152), Papilionidae (14), Pieridae (36) and Riodinidae (1)Purpose
The dataset intends to give a focus for the contemporary survey work and management decision. The records also focus on the priorities of key actions by highlighting species of conservation importance. It also gives a baseline information on the occurrence of butterflies at the forests of the Eastern Uganda which will help to create the best body of evidence possible to guide the conservation work and policy decisions of our focal landscapes. Butterflies are a useful insect group in environmental monitoring and evaluation studies and have been used in several biodiversity monitoring programs around the globe with considerable success.
Sampling Description
Study Extent
Butterfly collection was done along West Bugwe forests and its fragments, patches of Zika forest, Bunjako forest, Mpigi forests and its fragments, Mpanga, Mabira forest, several patches of Buikwe forest, forest patches of Tororo, forest patches of Entebbe and Kisubi.Sampling
Intensive butterfly sampling was conducted along paths and small forest roads in the vegetation types. Butterflies were captured during the day using sweep nets and bait traps.Quality Control
Steve Collins, Director at ABRI and the lead author together with Szabolcs Sáfián, a lepidopterist, did all the butterfly identification. The butterfly species names recorded were referenced using the following books and websites: Global Biodiversity Information Facility Catalogue of Life Global Name Resolver African Butterfly Database Original dataset was then formatted while adhering to Darwin’s Core StandardMethod steps
- The bait traps were laid along paths and small roads of different vegetation types to attract butterflies. The collectors captured butterflies either in flight or at rest by the use of sweep nets. Sweep nets were held upside down to collect butterflies. The butterfly samples to be retained were then pinched on the thorax. With their wings over the back, the butterflies were then slipped into envelopes or paper triangles. Thereafter, specimens were dried, mounted, labelled and preserved in the ABRI collection and in Peter Ward’s Collection. The coordinates were read directly from the coordinate system's layer inserted on the virtual Earth surface generated by Google Earth. Open refine was used for data cleaning, with this put to proper use the quality of data was enhanced, common errors made for localities were corrected, and spellings were checked too.
Taxonomic Coverages
Geographic Coverages
This dataset was assembled from the Eastern Uganda forests geographic area, which covers lowland to mid-altitude forest localities (or former forest localities already disappeared) along north and north-west of Lake Victoria between the Kenyan border in Busia (0°27'56"N, 34°5'55"E) in the east to Mpigi town and slightly beyond to Mitala Maria (0°5'21"N, 32° 7'18"E. These forests are also referred to as Lake Victoria outlier forests (Sáfián, 2021).
The main localities where the butterflies were recorded are natural forest areas such as Zika Forest, Mpanga Forest (Baron et al., 2017), Mabira Forest and West Bugwe Forest. Further localities for opportunistic recording are: Bukdadale, Bulambuli, Busia, Entebbe, Jinja, Kampala, Kapchorwa, Kayunga, Buikwe, Mukono-Salama, Njeru and Tororo.
Bibliographic Citations
- Fatuma Mutesi, John Robert Stephen Tubuti, David Mfitumukiza, “Extent and Rate of Deforestation and Forest Degradation (1986-2016) in West Bugwe Central Forest Reserve, Uganda”, International Journal of Forest Research, vol. 2021, Article ID8860643, 10 pages, 2021. - https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/8860643
- Protecting West Bugwe Forest: A pilot Project to preserve an Eastern Uganda natural forest. A Rocha Uganda. - https://uganda.arocha.org/projects/protecting-west-bugwe-forest/
- A.C Otieno and M. Buyinza, 2010. Collaborative Forest Management in Uganda: A Strategy for controlling Deforestation in West Bugwe Forest Reserve, Busia District. Research Journal of applied sciences, 5: 337-344. - https://medwelljournals.com/abstract/?doi=rjasci.2010.337.344
- Sáfián, Sz. 2021. Taxonomic notes on the Liptena augusta and L. batesana species complexes with description of four new species (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae, Poritiinae). Annales Musei Historico-naturalis Hungarici. 112:105-124. - http://dx.doi.org/10.53019/AnnlsMusHistNatHung.2020.112.105
- Martins, DJ and Collins S. (2016) Butterflies of East Africa. -
- Baron, T., Akite, P., Barnett, M., Collins, S.C., Dobson, J., Fric, Z.F., Henning, G., Kühne, L., Mey, W., Ochse, M., Przybolowitz, L., Sáfián, Sz, Schutte, R., Selb, H. & Ward, P. 2017. The second Afrotropical Lepidoptera Workshop in Uganda - A contribution to the Lepidoptera fauna of Kibale National Park and the Mpanga Forest Reserve Entomologische Zeitschrift 127(2):77-105. -
Contacts
Steve Collinsoriginator
position: Director
African Butterfly Research Institute
P.O. BOX 14308
Nairobi
00800
KE
email: collinsabri@gmail.com
Peter Ward
originator
position: Independent Scientist
African Butterfly Research Institute
P.O. BOX 14308
00800
email: cintsa@hotmail.com
Szabolcs Sáfián
originator
position: Research Associate
Hungarian Natural History Museum-Department of Zoology,
H-1088 Budapest
Budapest
Baross utca 13
HU
email: szsafian@gmail.com
userId: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0614-4203
Julius Beta
originator
position: Data Capture Clerk
A Rocha Kenya
P.O Box 383
Watamu
80202
KE
email: betajulius46@gmail.com
homepage: https://www.arocha.or.ke/
userId: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/beta-julius-85b867156/
Dorine Obondo
originator
position: Data Capture Clerk
A Rocha Kenya
P.O Box 343
Watamu
80202
KE
email: dorineauma702@gmail.com
homepage: https://www.arocha.or.ke/
userId: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dorine-obondo-7b8588226/
Steve Collins
metadata author
position: Director
African Butterfly Research Institute
P.O. BOX 14308
Nairobi
00800
KE
email: collinsabri@gmail.com
Szabolcs Sáfián
metadata author
position: Research Associate
Hungarian Natural History Museum
H-1088 Budapest
Budapest
Baross utca 13
HU
email: szsafian@gmail.com
userId: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0614-4203
Dorine Obondo
metadata author
position: Data Capture Clerk
A Rocha Kenya
P.O Box 383
Watamu
80202
KE
email: dorineauma702@gmail.com
userId: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorine-obondo-7b8588226/
Julius Beta
metadata author
position: Data Capture Clerk
A Rocha Kenya
P.O Box 383
Watamu
80202
KE
email: betajulius46@gmail.com
homepage: https://www.arocha.or.ke/
userId: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/beta-julius-85b867156/
Judith Ochieng
publisher
position: Project Coordinator BID-GBIF
A Rocha Kenya
P.O Box 383
Watamu
80202
KE
email: judith.ochieng@arocha.org
homepage: https://www.arocha.or.ke/
userId: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=https://www.linkedin.com/in/judith-adhiambo-955399127/
Lawrence Monda
programmer
position: Technical Liaison GBIF Kenya
National Museums of Kenya
P.O Box 40658
Nairobi
00100
email: Imonda@museums.or.ke
homepage: https://www.museums.or.ke/
Steve Collins
administrative point of contact
position: Director
African Butterfly Research Institute
P.O. BOX 14308
Nairobi
00800
KE
email: collinsabri@gmail.com