Butterflies serve as vital bioindicators of habitat quality and environmental stability. This study investigated butterfly diversity in three habitat types—Perur Wetlands, Alwarthirunagari Temple Meadows, and Sivakalai Dry Scrublands—in the Srivaikundam region of Thoothukudi District, Tamil Nadu, from January to December 2024 using the Pollard Walk Line-Transect method. In total, 57 species of butterflies belonging to five families were recorded during the survey. Among these, the family Nymphalidae was the most common, forming 34.21% of the total. The ecological index values showed that the study sites supported a rich and well-balanced butterfly community. The monsoon hit, and boom—crowds poured in like crazy, thanks to the perfect weather and all those flowers bursting with nectar.

The Alwarthirunagari Temple Meadows site had the greatest butterfly abundance, mainly due to diverse flowering resources and relatively low human disturbance. This research really drives home how vital those patchwork, wild-ish landscapes are for thriving butterfly crews, but it also shines a spotlight on the real threats piling up from all the pesticides and the way we're reshaping the land. The information gathered here provides a useful baseline for future monitoring and conservation planning in this part of Tamil Nadu.