Papilionoidea are the true butterflies. The skippers used to be in their own superfamily but are now usually included here. Many of the families have been further subdivided into subfamilies. Click the button to see a list of all the families and subfamilies in this superfamily. I have also included the species where I have photos showing the country where the photo was taken in parenthesis. The tropical ones from various butterfly gardens are marked BG plus their native area. The list of families and subfamilies has been taken from the Natural History Museum’s Global Lepidoptera Names Index, LepIndex. For some species, the name and classification differ between sources. I have mostly used Butterfly Conservation UK BC (of which I am a member), LepIndex, and NBNAtlas.
Although I have attempted to identify the species in all the photos some are only probably IDs. I have also included some images that are a bit blurred if that is my only record of the species. Hopefully I will be able to replace these over time.
Subfamily Libytheinae (the snout butterflies) [ Note Formerly in the family Libytheidae ]
Libythea sp.
Subfamily Limenitidinae (especially the adelphas)
Limenitis camilla, White admiral (Europe)
Subfamily Nymphalinae (the nymphs)
Aglais io, Peacock (UK)
Aglais milberti, Milbert’s tortoiseshell (USA)
Aglais urticae, Small tortoiseshell (Europe)
Anartia fatima, Banded peacock (Costa Rica)
Anartia jatrophae, White peacock (Grand Cayman)
Hypolimnas bolina, Eggfly male (WGGH, from Asia)
Melitaea deione, Provençal fritillary (France)
Polygonia c-album, Comma (UK)
Polygonia gracilis, Hoary comma (USA)
Polygonia faunus, Green comma (USA)
Polygonia satyrus, Satyr comma (USA)
Siproeta stelenes, Malachite (Cayman & WGGH)
Vanessa atalanta, Red admiral (UK)
Vanessa cardui, Painted lady (UK)
Vanessa virginiensis, American painted Lady (USA)
Subfamily Pseudoergolinae
Subfamily Satyrinae (the browns – amorphous and owls etc) [ Note Formerly the family Satyridae ]
Aphantopus hyperantus, Ringlet (UK)
Caligo telamonius memnon, Giant owl butterfly (WGGH, from Americas)
Erebia aethiops, Scotch argus (Norway)
Eryphanis automedon, Automedon Giant Owl (WGGH, from Americas)
Hipparchia semele, Greyling (UK)
Lasiommata megera, Wall brown (UK)
Maniola jurtina, Meadow brown (UK)
Melanargia galathea, Marbled white (UK)
Morpho achilles, Blue-banded Morpho (WGGH, from Americas) [ Note The Genus Morpho used to be in it’s own subfamily, the Morphinae, now in tribe Morphini ]
Morpho helenor insularis, Common Morpho (Trinidad)
Morpho peleides, Blue morpho (WGGH, from Americas)
Skippers are considered an intermediate form between moths and true butterflies. They used to have their own superfamily, Hesperioidea, but they are now usually included with the superfamily Papilionoidea, the true butterflies.
Subfamily Hesperiinae
Thymelicus lineola – Essex skipper (UK)
Ochlodes sylvanus – Large skipper (UK)
Subfamily Pyrginae
Erynnis tages – Dingy skipper (France)
Urbanus dorantes – Dorantes Longtail (Trinidad)
They get their name from their quick and darting flight pattern. When at rest, the adults of some species rest their forewings in a different plane to that of the hindwings giving them a charateristic apperance.
The Essex skipper is very similar to the small skipper but the Essex skipper has completely black antenna tips whereas in the small skipper the tips are orange. I saw the Dorantes longtail in Trinidad. It was quite large and very pretty.
Family: Lycaenidae (gossamer-winged)
This is the second largest group of the butterfly families with seven subfamilies. I only have photos of species in three of these, the coppers (Lycaeninae), blues (Polyommatinae) and hairstreaks (Theclinae). Most of them are quite small and the are fast flyers.
Subfamily Lycaeninae
Lycaena phlaeas – Small copper (UK)
Subfamily Polyommatinae
Aricia agestis – Brown argus (UK)
Celastrina argiolus, Holly blue (UK)
Cupido minimus – Small blue (UK)
Polyommatus bellargus (syn. Lysandra bellargus) – Adonis blue (UK)
The larvae of many of these species have a ‘honey gland’ secreting a sweet ‘nectar’ attractive to ants who offers protection for the larvae. Ants can also tend to pupae and help adults emerge.
I find some of the blues are quite difficult to identify. These are all native to the UK.
Family: Nymphalidae (brush-footed butterflies)
This is the largest family of butterflies with more than 6,000 species worldwide. They are highly variable and found world-wide. Some subfamilies used to be classified as families in their own right like the Satyrinae. Many species in this family are brightly coloured and highly visible like the peacock and painted lady to name a couple.
Heliconius hecale – Tiger longwing (BG, from Americas)
Heliconius erato – Erato longwing or red postman (Trinidad)
Heliconius melpomene, Common postman (BG, )
Speyeria callippe – Callippe fritillary (USA)
Subfamily: Libytheinae
Libythea sp. possibly L. lepta, – Common beak (Bhutan)
Subfamily: Limenitidinae
Limenitis camilla – White admiral (France)
Subfamily Nymphalinae (the nymphs)
Aglais io – Peacock (UK)
Aglais milberti, Milbert’s tortoiseshell (USA)
Aglais urticae – Small tortoiseshell (UK & Norway)
Anartia jatrophae – White peacock (Grand Cayman)
Anartia fatima, Banded peacock (Costa Rica)
Hypolimnas bolina – Eggfly, male (WGG, from Asia)
Junonia iphita, Chocolate pansy (Bhutan)
Melitaea deione, Provençal Fritillary (France)
Polygonia c-album – Comma (UK)
Polygonia gracilis, Hoary comma (USA)
Polygonia faunus, Green comma (USA)
Polygonia satyrus, Satyr comma (USA)
Siproet stelenes – Malachite (WGG & G. Cayman, Americas)
Vanessa atalanta – Red admiral (UK)
Vanessa cardui – Painted lady (UK)
Vanessa virginiensis – American painted lady (USA)
Subfamily Satyrinae (the browns)
Aphantopus hyperantus — Ringlet (UK)
Caligo telamonius memnon — Giant owl (WGGH, from Americas)
Caligo eurilochus — Forest giant owl (WGGH, from Americas)
Erebia aethiops — Scotch argus (Norway)
Eryphanis automedon — Automedon giant owl (WGGH, from Americas)
Hipparchia semele — Greyling (UK)
Lasiommata megera — Wall brown (UK)
Maniola jurtina — Meadow brown (UK)
Melanargia galathea — Marbled white (UK)
Morpho achilles, Blue-banded Morpho — (WGGH, from Americas)
Morpho helenor insularis, Common Morpho — (Trinidad)
Morpho peleides, Blue Morpho — (WGGH, from Americas)
Pararge aegeria — Speckled wood (UK)
Pyronia tithonus — Gatekeeper (UK)
They get their name from the brush-like hairs on their forelegs. Adults of some groups are quite long-lived and can survive between 6-11 months. They can overwinter as larvae or adults. Some also migrate and some Monarchs migrate over 2,000 miles from Canada to Mexico.
I have separated the photos into subfamilies, and for some subfamilies, into photos of species found in Europe and those not found in Europe.
Subfamily Heliconiinae
European species
Non-European species
Subfamily Nymphalinae
European species
Non-European species
Subfamily Satyrinae
European species
Non-European species: Giant owls and morphos
The Morphos used to be in their own subfamily but are now included here and abelong to the tribe Morphini. I am not sure which of the giant owls I saw at Wisley Garden Glasshouse but all three listed above were there. I have also seen Morphos in Costa Rica and Trinidad but not managed to get many photos of these.
Other subfamilies
I have grouped these together as I don’t have photos of many species. The subfamilies where I have photos are Biblidinae (1), Charaxinae (1), Danainae(3), Libytheinae (1), Limenitidinae (1).
Family: Papilionidae (swallowtails)
Most swallowtails are tropical but some can be found on every continent apart from Antarctica. The adults normally only survice a week or two.
Subfamily Papilioninae
Battus polydamas, Polydamas swallowtail (BG, from Americas)
Papilio lowi, Asian swallowtail or great yellow Mormon (BG, from Asia)
Papilio rumanzovia, Scarlet Mormon (BG, from Australasia)
Parides anchises, Anchises Cattleheart (Trinidad)
The family gets its name from the forked tail most visible when at rest. They don’t all have forked tailes.
These butterflies can be quite spectacular but I have only seen one species in the wild so far.
Family: Pieridae (white, orange-tip and sulfur)
This is a fairly large family found in Europe, Africa, America and some parts of Asia. The adults live for less than one year.
Subfamily Coliadinae
Colias croceus – Clouded yellow (UK)
Gonepteryx rhamni – Brimstone (Norway)
Phoebis sennae, Cloudless Sulphur (Trinidad)
Subfamily Dismorphiinae
Leptidea sinapis – Wood white (UK)
Subfamily Pierinae
Anthocharis cardamines – Orange-tip (UK)
Pieris rapae – Small White (UK)
Pieris rbrassicae, Large White (UK)*
Wood whites can usually be found on the Butterfly Conservation reserve near Chiddingfold.
As I currently only have one photo of species not found in Europe I have kept them all together.
Family: Riodinidae (metalmarks)
Most species in this family are found in South America there is only one species, the Duke of Burgundy, found in Europe.
Subfamily Nemeobiinae
Dodona adonira, Striped punch (Bhutan)
Subfamily Riodininae
Juditha molpe, Molphe metalmark – (Trinidad)
Hamearis lucina – Duke of Burgundy (UK)
These get their name from the small, metallic looking spots on their boodies. The larvae of some species are often looked after by ants but they lack a ‘honey gland’.
The numbers of the Duke of Burgundy in the UK had been in decline but in recent years they seem to have recovered. It is thought that could be due to improved habitat management and a warming climate1.
Hayes, M.P., Hitchcock, G.E., Knock, R.I. et al. Temperature and territoriality in the Duke of Burgundy butterfly, Hamearis lucina. J Insect Conserv23, 739–750 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-019-00166-6