Abstract: Present paper attempts to investigate the community structure and distribution of lepidopteran fauna in the representative rice fields of Kashmir. The main objective was to provide an overview of the diversity and distribution of lepidopteran fauna harbouring the rice ecosystems of Kashmir valley. The investigation commenced through two successive crop cycles. A total of 24 species belonging to 8 families including 16 taxa of butterflies and 8 taxa of moths were reported from 6 spatially variable representative sites. Maximum number of species were reported from north west Kashmir (Kupwara) as 22 species, whereas, lowest number was registered at Budgam (south west Kashmir) as 17 species. Diversity calculated using Simpsons Index (D), Simpsons Index of Diversity (1-D), Simpsons Reciprocal Index (1/D), Shannon-Wiener Index (H’), Margalef Richness Index (d), Menhinick Index, Evenness Index (J’) indicated the significance of rice fields in maintaining the biodiversity of lepidopteran fauna. Calculations obtained from indices suggested south east Kashmir (Anantnag) as the most diverse site and north west Kashmir (Kupwara) as the least diverse site. The need for conserving rice fields as a habitat for lepidopteran fauna was recognized in the study.