Butterflies in Afghanistan
Afghanistan has a diverse landscape with ragged mountainous terrains and woodlands, making a perfect habitat for butterflies. However, due to the country’s complicated sociopolitical state, it has not yet been possible to study the butterflies found in the country. As a result, little is known about the butterflies found in Afghanistan and how long they stay.
Here is a list of the butterflies with recorded sightings in Afghanistan, but as mentioned, it is not a complete list due to the lack of data
Butterflies in Afghanistan
List of Different Butterfly Species of Afghanistan
Brush-Footed (Nymphalidae)
- Afghani Heath (Coenonympha mangeri)
- Koh-i-Baba Fritillary (Melitaea kuchi)
- Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
- Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
- Coenonympha aeolus
- Coenonympha amirica
- Karanasa haslundi
- Karanasa naumanni
- Karanasa pardesi
- Karanasa pseudopamira
- Karanasa voigti
- Lasiommata hindukushica
- Pseudochazara porphyritica
- Pseudochazara watsoni
Whites and Sulphurs (Pieridae)
- Himalayan Blackvein (Aporia leucodice)
- Common Grass Yellow (Eurema hecabe)
- Peak White (Pontia callidice)
- Lesser Bath White (Pontia chloridice)
- Eastern Bath White (Pontia edusa)
- Small White (Pieris rapae)
- Pioneer White (Belenois aurota)
- Yellow Orange Tip (Ixias pyrene)
- Common Jezebel (Delias eucharis)
- Orange Tip (Anthocharis cardamines)
- Colias shahfuladi
- Colias cocandica
- Baltia shawii
Swallowtail (Papilionidae)
- Desert Apollo (Hypermnestra helios)
- Regal Apollo (Parnassius charltonius)
- Banded Apollo (Parnassius delphius)
- Karakorum Banded Apollo (Parnassius staudingeri)
- Cardinal Apollo (Parnassius cardinal)
- Ladak Banded Apollo (Parnassius stoliczkanus)
- Clouded Apollo (Parnassius mnemosyne)
- Keeled Apollo (Parnassius jacquemontii)
- Common Red Apollo (Parnassius epaphus)
- Large Keeled Apollo (Parnassius tianschanicus)
- Parnassius honrathi
- Parnassius actius
- Parnassius inopinatus
- Parnassius autocrator
Places like the Band-e Amir National Park, Pamir Mountains, and Hindu Kush Mountain ranges offer the ideal conditions for butterflies, attracting lepidopterologists and enthusiasts. Still, it is better to seek local guidance to know the best places to spot butterflies in Afghanistan.
