Fruit-feeding butterflies of Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda

A study was conducted in Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda from October 2019 to August 2020. The study aimed at documenting the diversity and distribution of fruit-feeding butterflies across an elevation gradient in Nyungwe National Park. Sampling was conducted seasonally using fruit-bated traps. Higher species richness was documented at low altitudes and decline with increasing elevation.  Butterflies were collected seasonally using traps baited with fermented bananas. Traps were set at each 25 m elevation interval along the trail spanning from 1700 m to 2950 m of altitude within Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda.  Vegetation type and canopy cover were also recorded to characterize the butterfly habitat use in Nyungwe National Park. Data were analyzed to assess the distribution patterns of fruit-feeding butterflies in Nyungwe National Park.