Butterflies

For me and many others, butterflies evoke a great sense of wonder. Their appearance and habits make them fascinating creatures both to study and photograph. In Europe there are just over 450 species of butterfly to be found; some are widespread and common whilst others are found only on a single mountain or island. Ireland has a relatively cool and damp climate and consequently only supports around 35 species. Below is a list of European species that I have seen on my travels, with the Irish species marked with an asterisk. Each page has at least one photo of the relevant butterfly species as well as a picture of its habitat. In some cases I have either bred or come across various pre-adult stages of some species and photos of these have also been included. Within each species page, there is information regarding the larval foodplants and nectar sources used by each species. Because many continental European butterflies use plants for which there is no English name, I have included the scientific species names for all plants mentioned in the following pages.

Papilionidae (Swallowtails, Apollos and Festoons):
Swallowtails are large, predominantly white butterflies with characteristic hindwing tails. Apollos are also large, pale species who are graceful fliers that often dwell in higher altitudes whilst the festoons are strikingly marked spring butterflies. Represented by around a dozen species in Europe.

European Swallowtail (Papilio machaon)
Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius)
Apollo (Parnassius apollo)
Small Apollo (Parnassius phoebus)

Pieridae (Whites):
Medium or large butterflies which are predominantly white or yellow in colour. The clouded yellows are strong fliers and all use members of the pea family as larval hostplants. The orange-tips are spring butterflies, usually with some amount of orange on their forewings. The brimstones are medium-sized yellow butterflies with leaf-shaped wings which use various buckthorns as larval foodplants whilst the whites are the most numerous and widespread with most favouring members of the Brassicae family as hostplants. Around 50 species occur in Europe.

Black-veined White (Aporia crataegi)
Large White (Pieris brassicae)*
Small White (Pieris rapae)*
Southern Small White (Pieris manii)
Mountain Small White (Pieris ergane)
Green-veined White (Pieris napi)*
Bath White (Pontia daplidice)
Orange Tip (Anthocharis cardamines)*
Desert Orange Tip (Colotis evagore)
Mountain Clouded Yellow (Colias phicomone)
Clouded Yellow (Colias crocea)*
Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow (Colias erate)
Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni)*
Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra)
Wood White (Leptidea sinapis)*
Cryptic Wood White (Leptidea juvernica)*
Fenton’s Wood White (Leptidea morsei)

Lycaenidae (Hairstreaks, Coppers and Blues):
Small, often brightly coloured butterflies represented by over 100 different species in Europe. The hairstreaks are mostly arboreal species with hindwing tails and a preference for shrubs and trees as hostplants. Coppers are often bright shades of orange and almost all of them use docks, sorrels and bistorts as foodplants. The blues are a varied group, but males of most species have a variable amount of blue colouration their upperwings. Foodplants are very often members of the mint and pea families. All species in this family have small, woodlouse-shaped larvae and many have a symbiotic relationship with ants.

Danaidae (Milkweed Butterflies):
In Europe this family is represented by 2 species, both of which are very large, predominantly orange butterflies who lay their eggs on various species of milkweed. Both are highly migratory and often set up temporary breeding colonies in southern Europe.

Monarch (Danaus plexippus)

Nymphalidae (Fritillaries and Vanessids):
Sometimes called the Brush-foot butterflies, characterised by their possession of 4 walking legs and 2 brush-like appendages. Fritillaries are predominantly orange butterflies with many members feeding on violets, plantains and cow-wheats. Vanessids are very often large and impressive butterflies with most species using nettles or deciduous trees as hostplants. There are around 70 species in Europe.

Satyridae (Browns):
A large family of small to large butterflies which are predominantly brown in colour and all use grasses as larval foodplants.

Marbled White (Melanargia galathea)
Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis)
Woodland Grayling (Hipparchia fagi)
Rock Grayling (Hipparchia hermione)
Grayling (Hipparchia semele)*
Tree Grayling (Hipparchia statilinus)
Striped Grayling (Hipparchia fidia)
Hermit (Chazara briseis)
Great Sooty Satyr (Satyrus ferula)
Mountain Ringlet (Erebia epiphron)
Scotch Argus (Erebia aethiops)
Woodland Ringlet (Erebia medusa)
Almond-eyed Ringlet (Erebia alberganus)
Mnestra Ringlet (Erebia mnestra)
Common Brassy Ringlet (Erebia cassioides)
Western Brassy Ringlet (Erebia dromus)
Ottoman Brassy Ringlet (Erebia ottomana)
Black Ringlet (Erebia melas)
Lefebvre’s Ringlet (Erebia lefebvrei)
Marbled Ringlet (Erebia montana)
Piedmont Ringlet (Erebia meolans)
Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina)*
Dusky Meadow Brown (Hyponephele lycaon)
Oriental Meadow Brown (Hyponephele lupina)
Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus)*
Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus)*
Southern Gatekeeper (Pyronia cecilia)
Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathsheba)
Large Heath (Coenonympha tullia)*
Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus)*
Dusky Heath (Coenonympha dorus)
Alpine Heath (Coenonympha gardetta)
Pearly Heath (Coenonympha arcania)
Chestnut Heath (Coenonympha glycerion)
Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)*
Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera)*
Large Wall Brown (Lasiommata maera)

Hesperiidae (Skippers):
Small, moth-like butterflies with fast, ‘skipping’ flights. Most remain close to the ground and between them they use a wide variety of grasses and herbaceous plants as larval hosts. Around 40 species occur in Europe.

Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus malvae)
Southern Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus malvoides)
Large Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus alveus)
Oberthur’s Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus armoricanus)
Safflower Skipper (Pyrgus carthami)
Carline Skipper (Pyrgus carlinae)
Warren’s Skipper (Pyrgus warrenensis)
Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto)
Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus alceae)
False Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus tripolinus)
Marbled Skipper (Carcharodus lavatherae)
Southern Marbled Skipper (Carcharodus baeticus)
Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius)
Orbed Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia orbifer)
Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages)*
Lulworth Skipper (Thymelicus acteon)
Essex Skipper (Thymelicus lineola)*
Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris)*
Large Skipper (Ochlodes venatus)
Silver-spotted Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Mediterranean Skipper (Gegenes nostrodamus)
Millet Skipper (Pelopidas thrax)

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