Thesis (BS Biology) -- University of the Philippines Mindanao, 2008

Sampling conducted in selected highlands of Marilog (Brgy. Datu Salumay, Sitios New Calinan and Epol) and lower Tugbok (Brgys. Manambulan, Mintal and Bago Oshiro) Districts, Davao City from February 2007 to January 2008 recorded a total of 101 Lepidoptera species. The species belonged to the following families: Lycaenidae (Marilog-4; Tugbok-1), Nymphalidae (Marilog-29; Tugbok-10), Papilionidae (Marilog-6; Tugbok-5), and Pieridae (Marilog-6; Tugbok-8) for the butterflies; Hrdpiriidae (Marilog-4; Tugbok-2) for the skippers; and Arctiidae (Marilog-7; tugbok-6), Geometridae (Marilog-6; Tugbok-10, Lasiocampidae (Marilog-1), Limacodidae (Tugbok-1), Lymantriidae (Marilog-1), Noctuidae (Marilog-8), Notodontidae (Marilog-1; Tugbok-1), Lymantriidae (Marilog-1), Noctuidae (Marilog-8), Notodontidae (Marilog-1; Tugbok-1), Pyralidae (Marilog-10, Saturniidae (Marilog-2; Tugbok-2), Sphingidae (Marilog-3; Tugbok-4), Uraniidae 9Marilog-1) and Unidentified species (Marilog-4; Tugbok-1) for the months. Ecological study of Lepidoptera species conducted in the three areas of Marilog (0700H to 1700H, three times, three different months) revealed the following information: butterfly sightings were recorded most from 1100H to 1300H, followed by from 0900H to 1100H and least from 1500H to 1700H, suggesting dependency of butterflies on solar warmth for flight. Comparing the Lepidoptera species composition of the two elevations, the highlands of Marilog (1500m asl) had a higher number with 84 species than Tugbok ((200m asl) with 42 species. Jaccard?s Index of Similarity revealed that the two districts were not closely related (CCj = 0.25). A number of factors were surmised to contribute to the dissimilarity of species composition between the two communities, among which are differences in: (1) available energy resources of the lepidopterans; (2) topography and weather conditions in the two areas and, (3) the degree of disturbances obtaining in the sites.