15 Different Types Of Butterflies In The World

Butterflies are some of the most popular forms of crawling animals or insects commonly found all over the world. Butterflies are found in a plethora of beautiful colors, and sizes and also have very flight patterns. With more than 18000 species of butterflies found across the world, butterflies are found in a variety of habitats and are also one of the most important for maintaining a healthy ecosystem as they help in pollination. We will discuss the types of butterflies in the world.

Also, butterflies are one of the most gregarious species found commonly flying around the garden and catching everyone’s attention, especially the naturalist. There is a long list of types of butterfly species and varieties that are found on the planet Earth, but here is a list that explains the top 15 types of butterflies in the world found across the world.

Types Of Butterflies In The World

1. The Swallowtail butterfly

With more than 500 species found across the world, swallowtail butterflies are one of the most amazing types of butterfly species inhabiting almost each and every part of the world except the Antarctica continent. Swallowtail butterflies are known for their distinctive tale-like extensions emerging from the hind wings and so the name.

Swallowtail butterflies are found in a variety of colors like red, yellow, and orange, and have varied flying patterns. Also, they mostly feed on fruits, seeds, and nectar and are commonly found across temperate and tropical regions, particularly in East Asia and Southeast Asia.

Also Read:10 Biggest Butterflies In The World

2. The Brush footed butterfly

Also known as four-foot butterflies, the brush-footed butterflies are generally medium to large in size and are popularly known for having only walking functional legs. The other two legs are almost curled up. Brush-footed butterflies have brown yellow and white wings with different color markings on the undersurface. Also, brush-footed butterflies are mainly native to Europe and Asia. It is interesting to note that brush-footed butterflies make a hissing sound when they sense danger and it is in an alarming state.

3. The Gossamer-winged butterfly

The gossamer-winged butterfly is the second-largest family of butterflies encompassing nearly 6,000 species distributed widely across the world. Constituting about 30% of the total butterfly species, Gossamer-winged butterflies are known for having brightly colored feathers as they are very colorful or iridescent butterfly species. Also, this butterfly species has a delicate and shimmery appearance on its wings and is also known for having thin-tailed Hind wings. This gregarious butterfly species are commonly found in a wide range of terrestrial habitats.

4. The Metalmark Butterfly

The metalmark butterfly is a small to medium-sized butterfly species commonly found in North America. But, this species has been listed as endangered due to loss of habitat. Mainly endemic to California, the Metalmark Butterfly is a gregarious butterfly species known for having different wing patterns of silver, metal, and rust color. The interesting thing about this species is that they have some very particular habitat and are found near Woodlands with shale etc.

5. The American Snout Butterfly

Most commonly found in the regions of south and North America, the American snout Butterflies are one of the most gregarious butterfly species that have a very long and elaborate snout. However, American snout butterflies are generally small in size and are often dull in color. They have brownish-black upper wings and orange patches with white spots on the forewings. Also, they have a beautiful purplish-grey shade on the underside of the hindwings.

Image Source: Wikimedia

6. The Red Admiral Butterflies

Red Admiral butterflies are one of the most distinctive types of butterfly species inhabiting mainly tropical regions. Also known as a strong-flying and large butterfly, the Red Admiral butterflies are famous for their black wings coupled with white spots and orange bands. Also, red Admiral butterflies are commonly found in the marshes, forests, Woodlands, parks, meadows, fields, etc. Red Admiral butterflies are also famous for having a very erratic and irregular flight pattern.

Also Read: 10 Beautiful Types of Yellow Butterflies In The World

7. The Monarch Butterflies

As the name suggests monarch butterflies are the king of all butterflies and are also the most beautiful butterfly species found anywhere on the earth. They are commonly found in the south and Central America and are easily recognized by their stunning combination of orange black and white markings on the wings. Monarch butterflies are named for paying honor to King William III of England who was also given the title of Prince of orange. This is an indication of the butterfly’s main color and so they are named monarch butterflies.

Also Read: 10 Most Beautiful Flowers In The World

8. The Blue Morpho Butterflies

Rated as one of the largest butterfly species in the world, Blue Morpho Butterflies is a majestic butterfly species that has stunning vibrant blue color wings with jet black edges. Mainly native to the tropical forest of Columbia, America, and Mexico, these gregarious butterfly species are commonly found inhabiting the forest floors and lower shrubs and trees. Also, blue morpho Butterflies have a very interesting feature that they smell fruit with sensors that are present on their legs and also use their antennae to taste and smell the air around them.

9. The European skipper butterfly

The European skipper butterfly is widely spread through Europe to Central Asia and also North Africa. It is a gregarious butterfly species with orange exterior wings and thin black margins along with white throughout the upper and lower wings. Also, this beautiful butterfly species are commonly found inhabiting the old fields, roadsides, and open areas with timothy, the main host plant of this species this species is a single brooded and flies from early June through late July.

Also Read:10 Famous Forests In The World

10. The American painted lady butterfly

Also known as the American lady, this butterfly is widely spread throughout North America. American painted lady butterfly is a very popular butterfly species in North America known for its stunning appearance. They have Orange-brown wings with black margins and white spots on the front wings. This species is also one of the most loved species by naturalists and is commonly found in low vegetation areas mainly forest edges, dunes, meadows, and vacant areas.

11. Karner Blue Butterfly

The Karner blue butterfly scientifically known as Plebejus melissa samuelis is a small blue butterfly mostly seen in the regions of New Jersey and southern New Hampshire. This is also listed as the official state butterfly of the southern New Hampshire region in the United States. This is listed as an endangered butterfly species whose lifecycle depends on the wild blue lupine flower (Lupinus perennis). The name of the butterfly species was discovered in Karner, New York where it was first discovered.

Image Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters

12. Mourning Cloak Butterfly

The mourning cloak butterfly is one of the types of butterflies native to Eurasia and North America. It is also known as the Camberwell beauty in Britain and the immature species is sometimes also known as the spiny elm caterpillar. The other names of the species are known as a grand surprise and white petticoat.

The mourning cloak’s eggs predators of the species include praying mantises, assassin bugs, dragonflies, and vertebrate predators such as birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals, and butterflies major predators include praying mantises, assassin bugs, dragonflies, and vertebrates.

Image Source: Wikimedia

13. Small Copper Butterfly

The small Copper Butterfly is also known as American copper, or common copper is one of the types of butterflies that belongs to the Lycaenids or gossamer-winged butterfly family. The butterflies species are common across Europe, Asia, and North America, and are also found in North Africa south through to Ethiopia. The butterfly species love to thrive in the regions of chalk downlands, heathland, and woodland regions. The host plants depend on the habitat and common ones are common sorrel (Rumex acetosa) and sheep’s sorrel (Rumex acetosella).

Image Source: Wikimedia

14. Creamy Marblewing Butterfly

The creamy marblewing butterfly also known as the large marble is a species of butterfly that is seen in western North America. Talking about its appearance, it has a dark green to a bluish-gray color that is covered in black dots. It is also marked with yellow and white stripes in a lengthwise manner along the back and the sides. The total length of the caterpillar reaches a length of 3/4 inches. They are seen across the ranges from the south of Alaska to central California and northern New Mexico. The diet of the butterfly includes buds, flowers, and fruits.

Image Source: Wikimedia

15. Sleepy Orange Butterfly

The sleepy orange butterfly scientifically known as Eurema nicippe is one of the types of butterflies that belongs to the family Pieridae. These butterfly species were also seen in West Indies, Costa Rica, and Belize. Talking about its appearance, it’s a bright orange butterfly with the upper side of the wings having wide black borders.

The total wingspan of the butterfly species is between 35 to 57 mm. The butterfly species loves to thrive in regions of old fields, roadsides, woods edges, swamps, wet meadows, open woodlands, margins of ponds, waterways, and valleys.