Species group · Insects

Butterflies

WAnimals has 15 species of butterfly, spread across 6 families (Erebidae, Geometridae, Nymphalidae, Papilionidae, Pieridae, Saturniidae).

15 species
6 families
125 countries
424 parks
Weight
0 g – 1 g
Length
4 cm – 30 cm
Lifespan
1 years

Ranges calculated from the entries that record the figure, not from all 15.

All 15 species of butterflies on WAnimals

Each one has its own full entry. This group does not replace them: it brings them together.

MonarchNot Evaluated

Monarch

Danaus plexippus

57 countries31 parks
Least Concern

Peacock

Aglais io

45 countries213 parks
Not Evaluated

Garden Tiger

Arctia caja

60 countries16 parks
Not Evaluated

Peppered Moth

Biston betularia

46 countries139 parks
Not Evaluated

Blue Morpho

Morpho peleides

20 countries27 parks
Not Evaluated

Owl Butterfly

Caligo eurilochus

13 countries78 parks
Least Concern

Large White

Pieris brassicae

51 countries182 parks
Not Evaluated

Atlas Moth

Attacus atlas

13 countries21 parks
Not Evaluated

Glasswing Butterfly

Greta oto

5 countries36 parks
Not Evaluated

Blue Emperor

Papilio ulysses

4 countries12 parks
Not Evaluated

North American Luna Moth

Actias luna

3 countries17 parks
Not Evaluated

Spanish Moon Moth

Graellsia isabellae

2 countries14 parks
Least Concern

Apollo

Parnassius apollo

32 countries6 parks
Not Evaluated

Spanish Festoon

Zerynthia rumina

5 countries1 park
Endangered

Queen Alexandra's Birdwing

Ornithoptera alexandrae

2 countries1 park

Conservation status

11 Not Evaluated3 Least Concern1 Endangered

1 especies in this group están en alguna categoría de riesgo real según la UICN.

See the global conservation status

Where they live

Recorded in 125 countries. The ones with the most species in the group:

Where to see them

Did you know…

  • The caterpillars feed exclusively on milkweed (Asclepias), which makes them toxic to many predators.

    From Monarch

  • The autumn migratory generation can live 6 to 9 months, far longer than the summer generations.

    From Monarch

  • It overwinters in vast colonies in the oyamel forests of Mexico and in California.

    From Monarch

  • Its scientific name, io, honours a priestess of Greek mythology.

    From Peacock

  • It lays as many as 500 eggs in large clusters on nettle leaves.

    From Peacock

  • The eyespots on its wings mimic the eyes of a large animal to startle predators.

    From Peacock

  • When disturbed it flicks open its forewings to show the red hindwings, a warning flash accompanied by the secretion of a toxic fluid from the back of the neck.

    From Garden Tiger

  • Its populations have fallen by more than 90% in the United Kingdom since the 1980s, a decline documented by light-trap monitoring that has become one of the most cited examples of the collapse of European insects.

    From Garden Tiger

Ecosystems

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