Butterflies are good biological indicators of habitat quality as well as general environmental health, as many species are strictly seasonal and prefer only specific set of habitats. Butterflies may respond to aggravation and change in habitats and act as an ecological indicator. Due to their reliance on the plants, butterfly diversity may reflect overall plant variety in the given zone. Thus, change in land use pattern may lead to landscape changes that can reflect into change in butterfly diversity and dispersion. Thus, butterflies can be recognised as umbrella species (the species whose protection serves to protect many co-occurring species) for conservation planning and management.

           Kerala has rich and diverse butterfly fauna because of the availability of wide range of habitats. Among the 1501 species so far recorded from India, 327 species are found in Kerala region. In the state, detailed studies have been done only in some specific habitats.