To evaluate the urban environment, butterfly communities were monitored by a transect-count method at 3 residential suburbs (Owada in Neyagawa city, Makino in Hirakata city and Nagaodai in Hirakata city) in Kita-kawachi area in 1996 and 1997. Eight and 8 species in Owada, 14 and 19 species in Makino, and 23 and 27 species in Nagaodai were observed in 1996 and 1997, respectively. Mean annual counts of individuals per 1 km transect observed in 1996 and 1997 were 5. 31 and 6. 33 in Owada, 18. 42 and 22. 98 in Makino, and 11. 41 and 23. 21 in Nagaodai, respectively. Pianka\u27s α index to express the degree of overlap among the butterfly communities in 1996 and 1997 were higher in Owada than in others. In Owada and Makino, higher values of several diversity indices were observed in 1997 than in 1996. However, in Nagaodai, a remarkable increase of Pieris rapae made decrease the diverse index values in 1997. In both years, Sunose\u27s EI index distinguish the 3 areas separately and estimated Owada, Makino and Nagaodai as a suburban to urban stage, a typical residential suburb and a rural-suburb stage, respectively.報文文部省科学研究費(基盤研究(C),No.08680560
