Butterflies in Jamaica
The tropical climate of the island nation of Jamaica supports various butterfly species. The largest of them is the Homerus Swallowtail, an endemic species that can only be seen here. Other notable butterflies include the Jamaican Monarch, the Jamaican Hairstreak, and the Dingy Purplewing.
List of Different Butterfly Species of Jamaica
Brush-Footed (Nymphalidae)
- American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)
- Antillean Mapwing (Hypanartia paullus)
- Dingy Purplewing (Eunica monima)
- Jaeger’s Anetia (Anetia jaegeri)
- Jamaican Monarch (Danaus cleophile)
- Jamaican Satyr (Calisto zangis)
- Mangrove Buckeye (Junonia genoveva)
- Many-banded Daggerwing (Marpesia chiron)
- Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)
- Agraulis vanilla insularis
- Anaea troglodyta portia
- Anartia jatrophae jamaicensis
- Anthanassa frisia frisia
- Antillea pelops pygmaea
- Colobura dirce wolcotti
- Danaus eresimus tethys
- Danaus gilippus jamaicensis
- Danaus plexippus megalippe
- Doxocopa laure laura
- Dryas iulia delila
- Dynamine serina serina
- Eunica tatila tatilista
- Euptoieta hegesia hegesia
- Greta diaphanus diaphanus
- Hamadryas amphichloe diasia
- Heliconius charithonia simulator
- Historis acheronta cadmus
- Junonia evarete zonalis
- Lucinia cadma
- Lycorea halia cleobaea
- Marpesia eleuchea pellenis
- Mestra dorcas dorcas
- Siproeta stelenes stelenes
- Vanessa atalanta rubria
- Gossamer-Winged (Lycaenidae)
- Jamaican Hairstreak (Rekoa bourkei)
- Martial Scrub-hairstreak (Strymon martialis)
- Brephidium exilis isophthalma
- Chlorostrymon simaethis jago
- Electrostrymon angelia pantoni
- Electrostrymon pan
- Hemiargus ceraunus ceraunus
- Leptotes cassius theonus
- Strymon acis gossei
- Strymon bazochii gundlachianus
- Strymon istapa cybira
- Strymon limenia
Whites and Sulphurs (Pieridae)
- Boisduval’s Yellow (Eurema boisduvaliana)
- Lyside Sulphur (Kricogonia lyside)
- Shy Yellow (Pyrisitia messalina)
- Sleepy Orange (Abaeis nicippe)
- White-angled Sulphur (Anteos clorinde)
- Anteos maerula maerula
- Aphrissa godartiana hartonia
- Aphrissa statira cubana
- Nathalis iole iole
- Phoebis argante comstocki
- Pyrisitia dina parvumbra
- Pyrisitia lisa euterpe
- Pyrisitia nise nise
- Pyrisitia proterpia proterpia
Swallowtail (Papilionidae)
- Bahaman Swallowtail (Papilio andraemon)
- Homerus Swallowtail (Papilio homerus)
- Jamaican Kite (Eurytides marcellinus)
- Prickly Ash Swallowtail (Papilio pelaus)
- Thersites Swallowtail (Papilio thersites)
- Battus polydamas jamaicensis
- Papilio demoleus demoleus
- Papilio melonius
Skipper (Hesperiidae)
- Green Flasher (Astraptes talus)
- Jamaican Flasher (Astraptes jaira)
- Ocola Skipper (Panoquina ocola)
- Potrillo Skipper (Autochton potrillo)
- Three-spotted Skipper (Cymaenes tripunctus)
- Turner’s Skipper (Troyus turneri)
- Violet-banded Skipper (Nyctelius nyctelius)
- Yellow-tipped Flasher (Telegonus anaphus)
- Astraptes anaphus anausis
- Cabares potrillo potrillo
- Euphyes singularis insolata
- Perichares philetes
- Polygonus leo hagar
- Proteides mercurius jamaicensis
One of the best places to see butterflies in Jamaica is Marshall’s Pen, a park that is also a national heritage site.