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A study was conducted on the diversity of butterflies by using the pollard walk method in the tropical dry deciduous habitats of Shettihalli Wildlife Sanctuary, Shivamogga District, Karnataka, from February 2010 to January 2011.  A total of 151 species of butterflies belonging to 99 genera and five families was recorded. The family Nymphalidae was the most dominant with the highest number of species (52 species; 35%), followed by Lycaenidae (33 species; 22%), Hesperiidae (25 species; 17%), Pieridae (24 species; 16%), and Papilionidae (15 species: 10%). The study also revealed 24 species of butterflies which are protected under various schedules of Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and 13 species as being endemic to the Western Ghats, peninsular India and Sri Lanka.