Selection of butterflies with potential for rearing and commercialization in an indigenous community in Central Mexico

Tropical butterflies have economic value in national and international markets. The object of the present work was to evaluate and select the species of tropical butterflies with the greatest potential for rearing in the indigenous community of Tecaya, in the municipality of Xilitla, San Luis Postosí, Mexico. The species selection not only considered biological traits and limitations, but social and economic factors, as well. These three criteria, (biological, social y economic) were integrated in a matrix of data to produce an Index of the Rearing Potential of Butterflies (IRPB). The evaluation of the criteria was based on qualitative and quantitative factors, and the valuation of these factors established using ExpertChoice v11.0 software program. In total, four critical biological criteria were chosen, taking into account production factors and host plants, as well as, conservation criteria. Five social criteria were chosen based on the community’s preferences for species of butterflies and familiarity with collection and cultivation of host plants. Economic factors were chosen giving priority to butterfly species already being marketed with high monetary value and high exhibition potential. We recorded a total of 130 species of butterflies in the community, of which 54 species were evaluated and an IRPB value calculated. Of these, the eight species yielding the highest IRPB values were selected for promotion for rearing. These were already among the species favored by the community, and our results will hopefully simplify and focus the efforts of the rearing and commercialization of these natural resources of this community development program.