The butterfly community in Gansu Gahai-Zecha National Nature Reserve

By using transect and opportunistic collecting methods, 681 specimens of butterflies were collected during May to September of 2012-2015 in Gansu Gahai-Zecha National Nature Reserve. Among these, 136 species, from 8 families and 74 genera, were identified: Papilionidae (1 genus, 3 species), Parnassiidae (1 genus, 13 species), Pieridae (8 genera, 32 species), Satyridae (14 genera, 19 species), Nymphalidae (21 genera, 32 species), Riodinidae (2 genera, 3 species), Lycaenidae (20 genera, 25 species), and Hesperiidae (7 genera, 9 species). Pieridae and Nymphalidae form the dominant populations; Lycaenidae and Satyridae have sub-dominant populations; Parnassiidae and Hesperiidae have common populations; and Papilionidae and Riodinidae have rare populations. Of the 136 species, 95 (69.85%) belong to the Palaearctic region, 5 (3.68%) to the Oriental region, and 36 (26.47%) were widely distributed. Species of the Palaearctic have an absolute advantage. This study provides basic information for butterfly research in Gansu and China.