Butterflies in Kenya
Kenya is home to over 500 species of butterflies. Notable species include the African Pansy, the Constantine’s Swallowtail, and the Coast Policeman.
Butterflies in Kenya
List of Different Butterfly Species of Kenya
Brush-Footed (Nymphalidae)
- African Pansy (Junonia artaxia)
- African Ringlet (Ypthima asterope)
- Air Commodore (Precis actia)
- Blue Diadem (Hypolimnas salmacis)
- Bonasia Acraea (Acraea baxteri philos)
- Common Club-dot Sailer (Neptis agouale)
- Common Forest Queen (Charaxes eurinome)
- Eastern Musanga Acraea (Acraea excelsior)
- Falcate Red Charaxes (Charaxes paphianus)
- Golden Piper (Eurytela dryope)
- Jordan’s Sailer (Neptis jordani)
- Kiriakoff’s Sailer (Neptis kiriakoffi)
- Large Spotted Acraea (Acraea zetes)
- Le Doux’s Glassy Acraea (Acraea endoscota)
- Lesser Rock Bush Brown (Bicyclus milyas)
- Nemetes Sailer (Neptis nemetes)
- Northern Short-tailed Admiral (Vanessa dimorphica)
- Pearl Emperor (Charaxes varanes)
- Rock Bush Brown (Bicyclus pavonis)
- Savanna Demon Charaxes (Charaxes viola)
- Scarce Commander (Euryphura isuka)
- Sophus Forester (Bebearia sophus)
- Startled Bush Brown (Bicyclus angulosa)
- Straw-coloured Acraea (Acraea rangatana ecketti)
- Sykes’ Acraea (Acraea pudorella)
- Two-tailed Pasha (Charaxes jasius)
- Wandering Donkey Acraea (Acraea neobule)
- Wild-bamboo Charaxes (Charaxes macclounii)
Gossamer-Winged (Lycaenidae)
- Antanossa Blue (Zizina antanossa)
- Apricot Playboy (Deudorix dinochares)
- Ashen Smoky Blue (Euchrysops subpallida)
- Barker’s Smoky Blue (Euchrysops barkeri)
- Black Heart (Uranothauma nubifer)
- Black-bordered Zebra Blue (Leptotes marginalis)
- Black-striped Hairtail (Anthene amarah)
- Blotched Ciliate Blue (Anthene lamias)
- Bright Babul Blue (Azanus ubaldus)
- Capronnier’s Cupid (Euchrysops albistriata)
- Checkered Gem (Zeritis neriene)
- Common Smoky Blue (Euchrysops malathana)
- Common Woolly Legs (Lachnocnema bibulus)
- Dark Line Blue (Pseudonacaduba aethiops)
- Desert Blue (Euchrysops nilotica)
- Divergent Woolly Legs (Lachnocnema divergens)
- Eastern Bath White (Tarucus theophrastus)
- Eastern Green-streaked Playboy (Pilodeudorix congoana)
- False Hairtail (Anthene nigeriae)
- Grass Jewel (Freyeria trochylus)
- Güssfeldt’s Blue (Oboronia guessfeldti)
- Iasis Sapphire (Iolaus iasis)
- Indigo Ciliate Blue (Anthene rubricinctus)
- Jeannel’s Blue (Leptotes jeanneli)
- Le Gras’ Pierrot (Tarucus legrasi)
- Light Branded Blue (Uranothauma heritsia)
- Lilac Giant Cupid (Lepidochrysops polydialecta)
- Mau Blue (Euchrysops mauensis)
- Mediterranean Pierrot (Tarucus rosacea)
- Mylothrid Pentila (Pentila tachyroides)
- Osiris Smoky Blue (Euchrysops osiris)
- Pallene Warden (Iolaus pallene)
- Pied Blue (Phlyaria cyara)
- Pollux Sapphire (Iolaus pollux)
- Pomegranate Playboy (Deudorix livia)
- Purple-brown Hairstreak (Hypolycaena philippus)
- Rayed Blue (Actizera lucida)
- Red Harlequin (Mimeresia dinora)
- Saharan Silverline (Cigaritis nilus)
- Short-toothed Blue (Leptotes brevidentatus)
- Small Green Sapphire (Iolaus catori)
- Tufted Green-streaked Playboy (Pilodeudorix camerona)
- Unexpected Tiger Blue (Hewitsonia inexpectata)
- Ungemach’s Pierrot (Tarucus ungemachi)
- Water Bronze (Cacyreus tespis)
- Western Woolly Legs (Lachnocnema vuattouxi)
- Wilson’s Hairtail (Anthene wilsoni)
Whites and Sulphurs (Pieridae)
- African Golden Arab (Colotis aurigineus)
- Antheap White (Dixeia pigea)
- Autumn-leaf Vagrant (Eronia leda)
- Buquet’s Vagrant (Nepheronia buquetii)
- Desert White (Pontia glauconome)
- Eastern Dotted Border (Mylothris agathina)
- Forest White (Belenois zochalia)
- Golden Arab-tip (Colotis chrysonome)
- Golden Tip (Colotis hildebrandtii)
- Last’s Albatross (Appias lasti)
- Lilac Tip (Colotis celimene)
- No Patch Tip (Colotis venosa)
- Queen Purple Tip (Colotis regina)
- Rogers’ Orange Tip (Colotis rogersi)
- Schumann’s Dotted Border (Mylothris schumanni)
- Small Meadow White (Pontia distorta)
- Small Orange Tip (Colotis evagore antigone)
- Spiller’s Yellow (Dixeia spilleri)
- Sulphur Orange Tip (Colotis auxo)
- Yellow Orange Tip (Colotis incretus)
- Yellow Splendour Tip (Colotis protomedia)
- Colotis aurora evarne
- Colotis danae eupompe
- Mylothris kilimensis
- Pontia helice johnstonii
Swallowtail (Papilionidae)
- Black Swordtail (Graphium colonna)
- Constantine’s Swallowtail (Papilio constantinus)
- Central Emperor Swallowtail (Papilio lormieri)
- Larger Striped Swallowtail (Graphium antheus)
- Mimetic Swallowtail (Papilio cynorta)
- Broad Green-banded Swallowtail (Papilio chrapkowskii)
- Hornimans Green-banded Swallowtail (Papilio hornimani)
- Emperor Swallowtail (Papilio ophidicephalus)
- Kirby’s Swordtail (Graphium kirbyi)
- Dancing Swordtail (Graphium polistratus)
Skipper (Hesperiidae)
- Aden Skipper (Spialia doris)
- Arabian Grizzled Skipper (Spialia mangana)
- Arela Dart (Semalea arela)
- Axehead Skipper (Acada biseriata)
- Beautiful Swift (Willema formosus)
- Branded Dwarf Skipper (Prosopalpus saga)
- Coast Policeman (Coeliades sejuncta)
- Common Dart (Andronymus neander)
- Common White-spots (Osmodes thora)
- Delagoa Sandman (Spialia delagoae)
- Evan’s Recluse (Leona halma)
- Fanta Swift (Borbo fanta)
- Ferruginous Swift (Borbo ferruginea)
- Golden Sylph (Metisella midas)
- Hanno’s Policeman (Coeliades hanno)
- Herilus Orange (Teniorhinus herilus)
- Honey Hopper (Platylesches moritili)
- Johnston’s Ranger (Gorgyra johnstoni)
- Kitui Grizzled Skipper (Spialia kituina)
- Marbled Skipper (Gomalia elma)
- Minimal Leaf Sitter (Gorgyra minima)
- Morant’s Skipper (Parosmodes morantii)
- Netted Sylph (Metisella willemi)
- Noble Nightfighter (Zophopetes nobilior)
- One-pip Policeman (Coeliades anchises)
- Orange Flat (Sarangesa phidyle)
- Pale Ranger (Dotta callicles)
- Paradise Skipper (Abantis paradisea)
- Purple Flat (Eagris decastigma)
- Riverine Ranger (Ampittia capenas)
- Small Hopper (Platylesches tina)
- Small Marbled Elf (Eretis umbra)
- Spangled Sylph (Astictopterus stellata)
- Spotted Velvet Skipper (Abantis tettensis)
- Two-pip Policeman (Coeliades pisistratus)
- Veined Skipper (Abantis venosa)
- Wallengren’s Ranger (Kedestes wallengrenii)
- Wandering Sandman (Spialia depauperata)
- Western Ragged Skipper (Caprona adelica)
- White-bodied Grass Skipper (Monza cretacea)
- Wreford’s Grizzled Skipper (Spialia wrefordi)
- Abantis meru
- Artitropa reducta
- Celaenorrhinus handmani
- Celaenorrhinus lourentis
- Ceratrichia semlikensis
- Chondrolepis telisignata
- Gorgyra diva
- Gorgyra subflavidus
- Kedestes brunneostriga
- Kedestes nancy
- Kedestes rogersi
- Leucochitonea hindei
- Sarangesa princei
Some of the best places to see Kenya’s butterflies are the Kipepeo Butterfly House, the Mombasa Butterfly House, and the Nairobi Butterfly Centre.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many butterfly species are found in Kenya?
Kenya is home to over 500 documented butterfly species, making it a region of significant lepidopteran diversity. These species are categorized into various families, including the large Brush-Footed (Nymphalidae) and the small, colorful Gossamer-Winged (Lycaenidae), inhabiting the country’s diverse ecosystems from forests to savannas.
What are some common Brush-Footed butterflies in Kenya?
Common Brush-Footed (Nymphalidae) butterflies in Kenya include the African Pansy, the Pearl Emperor, and the Two-tailed Pasha. This family is one of the largest and most diverse in the country, featuring many well-known species that are adapted to a wide range of habitats across the region.
Are Charaxes butterflies found in Kenya?
Yes, several species of Charaxes butterflies, also known as emperors, are found in Kenya. The provided list includes the Savanna Demon Charaxes, Falcate Red Charaxes, and the Wild-bamboo Charaxes. These are typically robust, powerful fliers that are often found in woodland and forest environments throughout the country.
What types of Gossamer-Winged butterflies live in Kenya?
Kenya hosts numerous types of Gossamer-Winged (Lycaenidae) butterflies, such as the Black-striped Hairtail, Bright Babul Blue, and Common Woolly Legs. This family is known for its small size and often iridescent wings, encompassing the groups commonly referred to as blues, coppers, and hairstreaks.
What is a notable Acraea butterfly species in Kenya?
A notable Acraea species in Kenya is the Large Spotted Acraea (Acraea zetes), part of the Nymphalidae family. Butterflies in this genus are often recognized by their elongated wings and a slow, deliberate flight pattern. They are frequently found in Kenya’s grassy habitats and open savanna woodlands.
Which butterfly families are most prominent in Kenya?
The most prominent butterfly families in Kenya include the Brush-Footed (Nymphalidae) and the Gossamer-Winged (Lycaenidae). The Nymphalidae family is exceptionally diverse, containing species like the African Pansy, while the Lycaenidae family includes a wide variety of smaller butterflies known as blues, coppers, and hairstreaks.
Can you find ‘Blue’ butterfly species in Kenya?
Yes, you can find many ‘Blue’ butterfly species in Kenya, primarily within the Gossamer-Winged (Lycaenidae) family. Examples from this group include the Bright Babul Blue, Ashen Smoky Blue, and the Black-bordered Zebra Blue. These small, delicate butterflies are named for the vibrant coloration on their wings.
