Butterflies in France
Naturally, a nation often associated with beauty, like France, would be home to several species of butterflies. Some of the butterflies commonly seen in the country include the Common Blue, the Clouded Yellow, and the Glanville Fritillary.
Butterflies in France
List of Different Butterfly Species of France
Brush-Footed (Nymphalidae)
- Almond Ringlet (Erebia alberganus)
- Alpine Grayling (Oeneis glacialis)
- Alpine Heath (Coenonympha gardetta)
- American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)
- Autumn Ringlet (Erebia neoridas)
- Balkan Fritillary (Boloria graeca)
- Black Satyr (Satyrus actaea)
- Blind Ringlet (Erebia pharte)
- Bright Eyed Ringlet (Erebia oeme)
- Cardinal (Argynnis pandora)
- Chestnut Heath (Coenonympha glycerion)
- Comma (Polygonia c-album)
- Common Brassy Ringlet (Erebia cassioides)
- Corsican Fritillary (Fabriciana elisa)
- Corsican Grayling (Hipparchia neomiris)
- Corsican Heath (Coenonympha corinna)
- Cranberry Fritillary (Boloria aquilonaris)
- Cynthia’s Fritillary (Euphydryas cynthia)
- Dark Green Fritillary (Speyeria aglaja)
- Dark Rock Brown (Chazara briseis)
- de Prunner’s Ringlet (Erebia triarius)
- Dewy Ringlet (Erebia pandrose)
- Dorus Ringlet (Coenonympha dorus)
- Dryad (Minois dryas)
- Dusky Meadow Brown (Hyponephele lycaon)
- Esper’s Marbled White (Melanargia russiae)
- European Nettle-tree Butterfly (Libythea celtis)
- False Dewy Ringlet (Erebia sthennyo)
- False Grayling (Arethusana arethusa)
- False Heath Fritillary (Melitaea diamina)
- False Mnestra Ringlet (Erebia aethiopellus)
- False Ringlet (Coenonympha oedippus)
- Gavarnie Ringlet (Erebia gorgone)
- Glanville Fritillary (Melitaea cinxia)
- Grayling (Hipparchia semele)
- Great Banded Grayling (Brintesia circe)
- Great Sooty Satyr (Satyrus ferula)
- Grisons Fritillary (Melitaea varia)
- Heath Fritillary (Melitaea athalia)
- Hedge Brown (Pyronia tithonus)
- High Brown Fritillary (Fabriciana adippe)
- Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis)
- Larche Ringlet (Erebia scipio)
- Large Ringlet (Erebia euryale)
- Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros)
- Large Wall Brown (Lasiommata maera)
- Lefèbvre’s Ringlet (Erebia lefebvrei)
- Lesser Marbled Fritillary (Brenthis ino)
- Lesser Mountain Ringlet (Erebia melampus)
- Lesser Purple Emperor (Apatura ilia)
- Lesser Rock Grayling (Hipparchia genava)
- Map (Araschnia levana)
- Marbled Fritillary (Brenthis daphne)
- Marbled Ringlet (Erebia montanus)
- Marbled White (Melanargia galathea)
- Marsh Fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia)
- Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina)
- Meadow Fritillary (Melitaea parthenoides)
- Arran Brown (Erebia ligea)
- Mnestra’s Ringlet (Erebia mnestra)
- Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)
- Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
- Napaea Fritillary (Boloria napaea)
- Nickerl’s Fritillary (Melitaea aurelia)
- Niobe Fritillary (Fabriciana niobe)
- Northern Wall Brown (Lasiommata petropolitana)
- Ocellate Bog Fritillary (Boloria eunomia)
- Ottoman Brassy Ringlet (Erebia ottomana)
- Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
- Pales Fritillary (Boloria pales)
- Pale Wall Brown (Lasiommata paramegaera)
- Peacock Butterfly (Aglais io)
- Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria euphrosyne)
- Pearly Heath (Coenonympha arcania)
- Phoebe Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe)
- Piedmont Ringlet (Erebia meolans)
- Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus)
- Poplar Admiral (Limenitis populi)
- Provençal fritillary (Melitaea deione)
- Purple Emperor (Apatura iris)
- Pyrenees Brassy Ringlet (Erebia rondoui)
- Queen of Spain Fritillary (Issoria lathonia)
- Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
- Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus)
- Rock Grayling (Hipparchia hermione)
- Scarce Fritillary (Euphydryas maturna)
- Scarce Heath (Coenonympha hero)
- Scotch Argus (Erebia aethiops)
- Scotch Argus (Hipparchia fidia)
- Shepherd’s Fritillary (Erebia pronoe)
- Silky Ringlet (Erebia gorge)
- Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia)
- Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus)
- Small Mountain Ringlet (Erebia epiphron)
- Small Pearl-Bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene)
- Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae)
- Sooty Ringlet (Erebia pluto)
- Southern Comma (Polygonia egea)
- Southern Gatekeeper (Pyronia cecilia)
- Southern Grayling (Hipparchia aristaeus)
- Southern Marbled Skipper (Hyponephele lupinus)
- Southern Marbled White (Melanargia occitanica)
- Southern White Admiral (Limenitis reducta)
- Spanish Fritillary (Euphydryas desfontainii)
- Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba)
- Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)
- Spotted Fritillary (Melitaea didyma)
- Spring Ringlet (Erebia epistygne)
- Sudeten Ringlet (Erebia sudetica)
- Titania’s Fritillary (Boloria titania)
- Tree Grayling (Hipparchia statilinus)
- Tullia’s Ringlet (Coenonympha tullia)
- Twin-spot Fritillary (Brenthis hecate)
- Two-tailed Pasha (Charaxes jasius)
- Violet Frillitary (Boloria dia)
- Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera)
- White Admiral (Limenitis camilla)
- Woodland Brown (Lopinga achine)
- Woodland Grayling (Hipparchia fagi)
- Woodland Ringlet (Erebia medusa)
- Yellow-legged Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis xanthomelas)
- Yellow-spotted Ringlet (Erebia manto)
- Aglais ichnusa
- Euphydryas intermedia
- Melitaea ignasiti
Gossamer-Winged (Lycaenidae)
- Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus)
- Alcon Blue (Phengaris alcon)
- Alpine Argus (Agriades orbitulus)
- Amanda’s Blue (Polyommatus amandus)
- Baton Blue (Pseudophilotes baton)
- Brown Argus (Aricia agestis)
- Brown Hairstreak (Thecla betulae)
- Chalkhill Blue (Lysandra coridon)
- Chapman’s Green Hairstreak (Callophrys avis)
- Chapman’s Blue (Polyommatus thersites)
- Cranberry Blue (Agriades optilete)
- Damon Blue (Polyommatus damon)
- Dorylas Blue (Polyommatus dorylas)
- Dusky Large Blue (Phengaris nausithous)
- Eros Blue (Polyommatus eros)
- Escher’s Blue (Polyommatus escheri)
- European Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus)
- False Ilex Hairstreak (Satyrium esculi)
- Furry Blue (Polyommatus dolus)
- Gavarnie Blue (Agriades pyrenaicus)
- Geranium Argus (Eumedonia eumedon)
- Geranium Bronze (Cacyreus marshalli)
- Glandon Blue (Agriades glandon)
- Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)
- Green-underside Blue (Glaucopsyche alexis)
- Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus)
- Idas Blue (Plebejus idas)
- Ilex Hairstreak (Satyrium ilicis)
- Iolas Blue (Iolana iolas)
- Lang’s Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous)
- Large Blue (Phengaris arion)
- Large copper (Lycaena dispar)
- Long-tailed Blue (Lampides boeticus)
- Mazarine Blue (Cyaniris semiargus)
- Melanops Blue (Glaucopsyche melanops)
- Meleager’s Blue (Polyommatus daphnis)
- Mountain Alcon Blue (Phengaris rebeli)
- Northern Brown Argus (Aricia artaxerxes)
- Orion Blue (Scolitantides orion)
- Osiris Blue (Cupido osiris)
- Provençal Short-tailed Blue (Cupido alcetas)
- Provence Chalkhill Blue (Lysandra hispana)
- Provence Hairstreak (Tomares ballus)
- Purple-edged Copper (Lycaena hippothoe)
- Purple Hairstreak (Favonius quercus)
- Purple-shot Copper (Lycaena alciphron)
- Reverdin’s Blue (Plebejus argyrognomon)
- Ripart’s Anomalous Blue (Polyommatus ripartii)
- Scarce Copper (Lycaena virgaureae)
- Scarce Large Blue (Phengaris teleius)
- Short-tailed Blue (Cupido argiades)
- Silver-studded Blue (Plebejus argus)
- Silvery Argas (Aricia nicias)
- Sloe Hairstreak (Satyrium acaciae)
- Small Blue (Cupido minimus)
- Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas)
- Sooty Copper (Lycaena tityrus)
- Spanish Argus (Aricia morronensis)
- Spanish Purple Hairstreak (Laeosopis roboris)
- Violet copper (Lycaena helle)
- White-letter Hairstreak (Satyrium w-album)
Whites and Sulphurs (Pieridae)
- Bath White (Pontia daplidice)
- Berger’s Clouded Yellow (Colias alfacariensis)
- Black-veined White (Aporia crataegi)
- Cabbage White (Pieris brassicae)
- Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra)
- Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus)
- Common Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni)
- Dark-veined White (Pieris bryoniae)
- Eastern Wood White (Leptidea duponcheli)
- Green-veined White (Pieris napi)
- Moorland Clouded Yellow (Colias palaeno)
- Mountain Clouded Yellow (Colias phicomone)
- Orange Tip (Anthocharis cardamines)
- Pale Clouded Yellow (Colias hyale)
- Peak White (Pontia callidice)
- Persian White (Pieris ergane)
- Portuguese Dappled White (Euchloe tagis)
- Provance Orange Tip (Anthocharis euphenoides)
- Réal’s Wood White (Leptidea reali)
- Small White, Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)
- Southern Small White (Pieris mannii)
- Western Dappled White (Euchloe crameri)
- Wood White (Leptidea sinapis)
- Mountain Dappled White (Euchloe simplonia)
- Leptidea juvernica
- Euchloe insularis
Metalmark (Riodinidae)
- Duke of Burgundy (Hamearis lucina)
Swallowtail (Papilionidae)
- Alexandra’s Swallowtail (Papilio alexanor)
- Apollo (Parnassius apollo)
- Clouded Apollo (Parnassius mnemosyne)
- Old World Swallowtail (Papilio machaon)
- Phoebus Apollo (Parnassius phoebus)
- Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius)
- Southern Festoon (Zerynthia polyxena)
- Spanish Festoon (Zerynthia rumina)
- Southern Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthamelii)
- Corsican Swallowtail (Papilio hospiton)
Skipper (Hesperiidae)
- Alpine Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus andromedae)
- Carline Skipper (Pyrgus carlinae)
- Chequered Skipper (Carterocephalus palaemon)
- Cinquefoil Skipper (Pyrgus cirsii)
- Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages)
- Dusky Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus cacaliae)
- European Skipper (Thymelicus lineola)
- Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus malvae)
- Large Chequered Skipper (Heteropterus morpheus)
- Large Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus alveus)
- Large Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus)
- Lulworth Skipper (Thymelicus acteon)
- Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus alceae)
- Marbled Skipper (Carcharodus lavatherae)
- Oberthür’s Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus armoricanus)
- Olive Skipper (Pyrgus serratulae)
- Pygmy Skipper (Gegenes pumilio)
- Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius)
- Rozy Grizzled Argus (Pyrgus onopordi)
- Safflower Skipper (Pyrgus carthami)
- Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto)
- Silver-spotted Skipper (Hesperia comma)
- Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris)
- Southern Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus malvoides)
- Tufted Skipper (Carcharodus floccifera)
- Warren Skipper (Pyrgus warrenensis)
- Yellow-banded Skipper (Pyrgus sidae)
- Southern Marbled Skipper (Carcharodus baeticus)
- Foulquier’s Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus bellieri)
- Corsican Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia therapne)
There are several places that enthusiasts can visit to experience the various butterflies France has to offer. Notable ones include Cevennes National Park, La Brenne National Park, and Le Tropique du Papillon.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some common butterfly species in France?
Some of the most common butterfly species in France include the Common Blue, the Clouded Yellow, and the Glanville Fritillary. The country hosts a wide variety of species from the Brush-Footed (Nymphalidae) family, which encompasses numerous types of Fritillaries, Ringlets, and Heath butterflies found across different regions.
Are Brush-Footed butterflies common in France?
Yes, Brush-Footed butterflies, belonging to the family Nymphalidae, are very common throughout France. This diverse family is one of the largest and includes many well-known groups like the Fritillaries, Ringlets, Graylings, and the Comma butterfly, making them a significant part of the country’s lepidopteran fauna.
What is the Glanville Fritillary butterfly in France?
The Glanville Fritillary (Melitaea cinxia) is a type of Brush-Footed butterfly found in France, known for its distinct orange and black checkered wing pattern. This species is often located in dry, grassy meadows and coastal areas. It is a well-studied butterfly, particularly for its population dynamics and ecology.
How many types of Ringlet butterflies live in France?
France is home to a significant number of Ringlet butterfly species, primarily from the Erebia and Coenonympha genera. The country’s diverse habitats support over fifteen distinct types, including the Almond Ringlet, Autumn Ringlet, and Dewy Ringlet, many of which are adapted to specific alpine or woodland environments.
Can you find the American Lady butterfly in France?
Yes, the American Lady butterfly (Vanessa virginiensis) can be found in France, though it is primarily a North American species. It is a known migratory butterfly that occasionally reaches Europe, including France. Its presence is less common than native Vanessa species like the Red Admiral or Painted Lady.
What makes the Corsican Fritillary butterfly unique?
The Corsican Fritillary (Fabriciana elisa) is unique because it is an endemic species found only on the French island of Corsica and neighboring Sardinia. This geographic isolation means it is not found on mainland France. It belongs to the Brush-Footed family and is adapted to the island’s specific habitats.
Are there butterfly species specific to the French Alps?
Yes, several butterfly species in France are specifically adapted to the high-altitude environments of the Alps. These include the Alpine Heath, Alpine Grayling, and Cynthia’s Fritillary. These species have evolved to thrive in the cooler temperatures and unique alpine meadow ecosystems found in the mountain range.
